'SPA' No More: Here's the Org's New Name — and Showstopping Lineup

Chris Becker

NOW HEAR THIS! As of April 12, the Society for the Performing Arts shall be known as Performing Arts Houston. The organization revealed the new name at its April 2 gala, The Kaleidoscope Ball, which raised close to $600,000 to support its education and community engagement programming and always high caliber concert multi-genre performance series. The rebranding, which pointedly drops the unintentionally contentious word “Society,” is meant to reflect the range and quality of the now 55-year-old organization’s vision as well as the “depth and breadth” of its upcoming 2022/23 season.

Small Steps, Big Gains! Nonprofit Raises a Glass — and a Record-Breaking $850K for At-Risk Preschoolers

Evan W. Black

IN RECENT YEARS, the importance of a quality education beginning with preschool has been made abundantly clear. One organization in Houston seeks to provide not only education but holistic support for at-risk preschool-age children in the Fifth Ward and Gulton/Sharpstown communities. The Small Steps Nurturing Center raised nearly a million dollars to further its mission at its annual Wine Classic, chaired by Kristy and Chris Bradshaw and Carolyn and Garry Tanner.

This Artist's Astroturfed Window Display Will Compel You to Dance!

Chris Becker

ARTIST, ANTHROPOLOGIST AND Rice University fellow and lecturer Lina Dib traces her interest in making art back to early childhood. At age three, while drawing, she would get frustrated that the pencils “weren’t doing what I wanted them to do,” and throw them across the room. “I was very adamant about using things in a way that I imagined,” laughs Dib, who is now the mother of a 17-month-old girl and expecting a boy in May.

Timeless Appeal at The Village: Sophisticated Retirement Living

THE STANDARD BEARER FOR LUXURY

We built The Village communities to exemplify sophisticated retirement living in Houston, surrounded by the heritage neighborhood of River Oaks, Tanglewood and Southampton. Each offers impeccable designer finishes and Aspenwood service detail with dining and resortstyle amenities making them premier locations for discerning Houstonians and their families. Impressive, spacious residential floor plans, generous natural light, and expansive terraces allow a new level of indoor-outdoor living. Beautiful spaces are designed for entertaining, fitness, and relaxation with a dedicated team to provide a secure lock and leave lifestyle for our members.

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The patio at Heights & Co.

IT'S ALMOST TIME for summer vacations, but Heights & Co. is offering escapes on its newly redecorated patio in the form of wine and movie nights — no passport needed! Visit France, Italy, Greece, Spain, and more through wine pairings and tasting menus, all complemented by movies set in each location.

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Food

Ally Shell and Martijn van Koolwijk

BLAME IT ON the Moon! Mercury Chamber Orchestra’s 2025 gala at the Thompson hotel — themed “Moonlight Serenade and chaired by Ally Shell and Martijn Van Koolwijk — was a night of glamour and big band vibes, raising more than $350,000 for the company.

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Art+Culture