Fine arts museum coming to The Woodlands in November

Gordy Bunch, chairman of The Woodlands Township Board of Directors, signs a beam during a renovation ceremony for a fine arts cultural center, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017, in The Woodlands. The Glade Arts Foundation is leasing a 7,900 square-foot complex from The Howard Hughes Corporation for the center, which will include a permanent collection from sculptor David Adickes, as well as several exhibitions. less Gordy Bunch, chairman of The Woodlands Township Board of Directors, signs a beam during a renovation ceremony for a fine arts cultural center, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017, in The Woodlands. The Glade Arts Foundation ... more Photo: Jason Fochtman, Staff Photographer Photo: Jason Fochtman, Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 32 Caption Close Fine arts museum coming to The Woodlands in November 1 / 32 Back to Gallery

The first fine arts museum in The Woodlands will open in November in an effort to feed "a growing art community" and will feature local and international artists.

At a launch event Tuesday, the Glade Arts Foundation and the Howard Hughes Corporation, together with members of The Woodlands Township, unveiled the exhibition space for the new fine arts museum housed in the former Woodlands Information Center at 2000 Woodlands Parkway. The renovation is estimated at $750,000.

"In order for a society to (thrive), you need the cultural experience," said Dragos Tapu, Glade Arts Foundation arts program vice president. "You need to have the broader education."

The museum would serve as a "cultural hub" that would attract a variety of audiences, old and young, who will be impressed with the ability to experience fine arts in colorful ways, he said. Digital kiosks will help and guide visitors, he said.

Once a planned expansion is completed, the space, leased from the Howard Hughes Corporation, will be roughly 9,000 square feet, Tapu said. That additional space will highlight sculptures and installations of various artists, he added.

One of the more stunning parts of the new museum will be a permanent wing dedicated to the works of internationally-renowned artist, David Adickes, who is best known for his tall statues displayed across various cities in Texas. One of his more notable works for Montgomery County residents would be the Sam Houston statue off Interstate 45.

While the fine art museum will emphasize halls specifically for international and local artists, it will also host a variety of programs and events, said executive director Jenny Carattini-Wright.

"The arts and the art community is growing," Carattini-Wright said. "I think awareness of fine arts is kind of lacking, and the whole idea is having a fine art museum and cultural education program and all kinds of great things like lectures and music series we can offer."

Paul Layne, executive vice president at the Howard Hughes Corporation, said backing the Glade Arts Foundation made sense.

"We think that this is a wonderful purpose for this building that once served (for) so many years as the welcome center for The Woodlands," Payne said. "Now it will be welcoming Woodlands residents in a different way. The growing art community in The Woodlands is very dynamic and certainly creative...It was a great fit."