The Odessa Cultural Council was organized in 1978 by a group of dedicated volunteers using a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts.  The mission was to coordinate, communicate and support the visual, performing and literary arts and humanities in Odessa.  In 1994, the Council resolved to be more involved in community-wide endeavors that would promote and support the interests of its members, to aid emerging as well as existing arts organizations through various marketing strategies and to be especially sensitive to the needs of the various ethnic groups in Odessa.

By 1997, it became apparent that to many people, the word “cultural” meant “having to do with a specific ethnic culture” rather than the arts and humanities.  Consequently, in 1998, the name was changed to the Odessa Council for the Arts & Humanities in order to be more descriptive of our actual mission, which did not change.  The mission statement is “..promoting the arts and humanities in Odessa and Ector County.”  There are approximately 50 individuals, organizations and businesses involved in the Council including arts and education organizations, businesses, heritage organizations, artists and other interested individuals.

The original, and most important, activity of the Council is the Grant Program, which includes both Annual and Mini-grants.  An organization may apply for only one annual grant in either the Operating or Special Event category and multiple mini-grants providing the project or event is not funded through the annual grant.  Operating grants are primarily for large organizations that have an ongoing series of programs, employ permanent staff and have a monetary limit of $20,000.  Special Event grants are primarily for smaller, all-volunteer organizations that present only one, or a limited number, of events, do not employ permanent staff and has a monetary limit of $15,000.  Mini-grants are to assist organizations in paying artists or for marketing an event and carry a monetary limit of $2,000.  Forms, due dates, instructions and other criteria are in the “Grants” section of this website.

Other programs include:  Hot Summer Nights, a concert series held between late May and early August in partnership with Main Street Odessa, that features an eclectric array of musicians playing in Odessa’s beautiful downtown park; Volunteer of the Year Luncheon in September, honoring the outstanding volunteers from each of the member organizations; a monthly, full-page ad in the Odessa American to promote all the arts and humanities events throughout the city; and other activities and that promote the organizations and encourage participation by the entire community in the arts and humanities.

The Odessa Council for the Arts & Humanities…promoting the arts and humanities in Odessa and Ector County!