Anita Smith

Project Row Houses (PRH) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people and enriching communities through engagement, art and direct action. PRH was a thought experiment conceived by seven extraordinary artists who have been active in the Houston community, especially the Third Ward, for decades: James Bettison (1958-1997), Bert Long, Jr. (1940-2013), Jesse Lott, Rick Lowe, Floyd Newsum, Bert Samples, and George Smith. The nonprofit was founded with a mission to be the catalyst for the transformation of community through the celebration of art and African American history and culture. PRH occupies a significant footprint in Houston’s Historic Third Ward, one of the city’s oldest African-American neighborhoods. The site encompasses five city blocks and houses 39 structures that serve as home base to a variety of community enriching initiatives, art programs, and neighborhood development activities. PRH engages neighbors, artists, and enterprises in collective creative action to help materialize sustainable opportunities in marginalized communities.