From the moment you land, Houston greets you with creativity. At William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), the journey doesn’t begin when you step out of the terminal—it begins while you’re still in it. Home to the longest continuously running Artist in Residence (AIR) program at any U.S. airport, Hobby is transforming the travel experience into something more soulful, more colorful, and undeniably more local.
🎨 Skybridge Studios: Art in Motion
Located inside the Skybridge Gallery, Hobby’s Artist in Residence program transforms airport corridors into live studio spaces where local artists work in real time. As you make your way through the sunlit glass walkway connecting the airport’s short-term parking garage to the second level of the main terminal, you’ll see artists sketching, painting, or assembling mixed media pieces. Many artists working in their temporary studios are happy to discuss their craft. The corridor itself is an art piece, lined with vibrant glass mosaics that resemble inkblots, casting kaleidoscopic shadows as natural light spills in.
Among the featured artists is Hannah Bull, a Texas muralist and art car creator whose bold, energetic work electrifies the terminal walls. Her presence in the AIR program is part of a broader push to integrate multidisciplinary artists into Houston’s transit spaces.
🚀 Higher Ground and Sky-High Imagination
Don’t miss “Higher Ground” (2015), a compelling multimedia installation by Stephen Hillerband and Mary Magsamen. This interdisciplinary work—featuring video, photography, and sculpture—documents a family’s whimsical mission to launch a rocket from their suburban backyard. It’s an homage to dreaming big, commissioned by the Houston Airport System and City of Houston.
Hillerband, a University of Houston photography professor, and Magsamen, director of Aurora Picture Show, infuse the piece with playful urgency, reflecting the city’s passion for artistic exploration and storytelling.
✈️ From Runways to Runway Fashion
Houston’s innovative streak extends to fashion as well. Southwest Airlines debuted Runway R&R, a collaboration with Magpies & Peacocks, the country’s only nonprofit design house dedicated to upcycling textile waste. The collection of fashion pieces are created from retired aircraft seat leather.
The program is part of Repurpose with Purpose, launched in 2014 after Southwest redesigned its seats and donated more than 43 acres of leather. The result is a stylish and sustainable initiative that supports local makers and significantly improves fuel efficiency.
🎶 Harmony in the Air: Music for the Journey
While passing through the central concourse rotunda, travelers are often treated to live classical, jazz, or pop music performed by Harmony in the Air, a performing arts program showcasing professional Houston musicians. These complimentary concerts elevate the airport atmosphere and create spontaneous moments of serenity in an otherwise fast-paced space.
🚗 Houston’s Art Car Legacy on Display
Adding to the terminal’s visual excitement is an icon of Houston’s art world, the Fruitmobile, created by artist Jackie Harris. This kitschy, colorful 1967 Ford station wagon is covered in plastic fruit and painted in punchy hues. It was the catalyst for Houston’s now-famous Art Car Parade, held each April and organized by the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art. The Fruitmobile remains a roving ambassador of creativity.
✍️ A Cultural Mission in Motion
Each AIR artist is granted a three-month residency, a stipend, and a platform to engage with thousands of travelers. The program not only showcases Houston’s vibrant creative class but also slows down the travel experience, encouraging moments of human connection, observation, and inspiration.
No wonder Skytrax named Houston Airports the World’s Best Airport Art Program for three years running—2023, 2024, and 2025. In addition to its permanent collection, Houston Airports presents more than a dozen rotating exhibitions each year through cultural collaborations with institutions such as NASA, the 1940 Air Terminal Museum, the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, FotoFest, the Houston Botanic Garden, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Houston Airports is home to one of aviation’s largest civic art collections, with nearly 450 works on display across its terminals.
🖼️ Coming in September: Houston’s Global Art Moment
If you’re planning a trip this fall, September is the month to visit. Houston will debut Untitled Art, an internationally acclaimed contemporary art fair that will bring together 80+ top galleries from around the world. Untitled Art hosts an annual show in Miami, and the event’s decision to expand into Houston is a testament to the city’s emergence as a global arts destination, blending local perspectives with international prestige.
From terminals to town, Houston invites you to land, linger, and look. Whether you’re arriving for a weekend getaway or simply passing through, don’t miss the opportunity to explore a city where creativity never takes a day off—and it all begins at the airport.
