Two Artists, Eight Months: Houston Residency Draws In Local Residents

Fresh Arts Space concluded its 2026 artist residency program, which featured two extended presentations by Jakari Sherman and Violeta Alvarez. The STAR program, designed to support traditionally underrepresented creators, operated from April through August at Winter Street Studios. The initiative paired professional artists with direct community participation, a structural choice the organization says distinguishes it from other local immersive experiences.

Jakari Sherman began the season in April and May with Our Road Home: Gallery as Instrument. This performance series used live stepping, artist talks, and rotating exhibitions to trace the African American experience from Africa to Louisiana and into Houston’s Freedmen’s Town. Sherman serves as a director, choreographer, and storyteller.

Violeta Alvarez followed Sherman with her own residency, Casa de Cultura, in July and August. The Houston concert photographer explored themes of cultural identity, migration, and art through panels with other Latinx photographers, a local music podcast, and a live cumbia band. Her photographic works centered on immigration issues. Alvarez, a frequent contributor to the Houston Press, noted that she invited local residents into the space to be photographed for the second half of the project, making the audience part of the final art.

The program includes a mentorship component where previous resident artists return to guide new participants. This practice aims to strengthen connections within the local artistic community. Applications for the 2027 residencies are currently open.