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MATCH announces the
3rd annual Mix-MATCH: A Mixed Arts Festival
A one-day celebration of Houston’s diverse and dynamic arts community
SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2026
3 PM to 10 PM
Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston (MATCH) is thrilled to announce the 3rd Annual Mix-MATCH: A Mixed Arts Festival, a one-day celebration of Houston’s vibrant creative community. The event will take place on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at MATCH, from 3 to 10 p.m. The festival will feature an extraordinary lineup of local performances, installations and exhibits that showcase the depth and diversity of the city’s cultural landscape.
This year’s festival holds a special significance as MATCH celebrates ten years of creative expression, connection and community. Since opening its doors, MATCH has hosted thousands of performances with this purpose at its core: to make it easier for everyone to create and experience art, and to foster opportunities for discovery and connection.
“Mix-MATCH reflects what our first decade has been about: creating space for Houston’s arts community to share their stories and for audiences to discover work they may have never encountered elsewhere,” said Kirk Markley, managing director of MATCH. “This festival brings all of that to life in one day, showcasing how vibrant, innovative and expansive the Houston arts scene is.”
Launched in 2024, Mix-MATCH was created as a unique platform for Houston’s small to mid-sized arts organizations and independent artists to collaborate, connect and share their work across disciplines. The success of the first two festivals — with more than 80 performances collectively — demonstrate the continued need for shared, professional venues like MATCH.
This year, over 70 submissions were evaluated through a peer review process, resulting in 23 selected performances and arts installations that span theater, dance, film, music, spoken word, sketch comedy, poetry, burlesque, circus arts, roller skating, performance art, and visual arts — all presented in one place on one incredible day.
“The Mix-MATCH Festival is more than just an event — it’s a reflection of Houston’s creative heartbeat,” said Brian Walker, director of production and festival coordinator of MATCH. “Each year, we see new collaborations, new forms and new voices come together to redefine what art in this city can be. This year’s festival embodies that spirit of experimentation and community.”
The festival will take over all four MATCH theaters and the gallery, featuring live performances, visual art installations, and interactive activities throughout the day. The evening will culminate with the MATCH Mixer, a lively social gathering that brings together artists and audiences to celebrate the day’s creativity.
2026 Mix-MATCH participants include:
Just US (sketch comedy)
Teatro Loft (theater)
Pronoia Theater (theater)
Sketch Supercollider (sketch comedy)
Cirkus Zirkus (circus/theater/storytelling)
Rhythmscape (dance/music)
The Southern Soul Theatre Ensemble (theater/spoken word/dance)
One Sample Cultural Foundation (music/dance/audiovisual storytelling)
Daisies & Pancakes Roller Skates (roller skating/dance)
ricardo enrique & Alicia Margarita Olivo (theater)
Boomtown Brass Band (film/music)
Ugoci E. (poetry/spoken word/storytelling)
The T.R.U.T.H. Project, Inc. (poetry/music/theater)
Project Vivarii (dance/music/poetry/visual art)
Voices of Houston (music/spoken word)
Legacy 51 (music/spoken word/theater)
East End Boogie (music/dance)
Matias Chavez (film/music)
Gbenga Ayeni/Exwon Art (performance art/visual art)
Shawn Jones & Sam Oser (Visual Art)
Ashley Mills (visual art)
Ms Mykie (visual art/burlesque/performance art)
Arthur Mangum (mixed media visual art)
Learn more about Mix-MATCH: A Mixed Arts Festival