About Spacetaker

Spacetaker, founded in 2000 by David A. Brown, was a Houston-based nonprofit arts organization dedicated to empowering local artists through professional development, public engagement, and cultural advocacy. At a time when Houston’s creative community lacked centralized infrastructure, Spacetaker emerged as a pioneering force—connecting artists, audiences, and institutions while building systems that sustained creative careers and elevated the role of the arts in civic life.

Spacetaker’s impact was grounded in its innovative, artist-centered programming. The Artist Resource Center offered free access to tools, referrals, and guidance to help artists navigate the business of art. The Artist Registry served as one of the city’s first searchable databases for artists across disciplines, strengthening visibility and connectivity. Flagship programs like Artist Speakeasy, Marketing and Finance Workshops, and the annual Winter Holiday Art Market (WHAM) created platforms for dialogue, skill-building, and direct income generation—supporting artists holistically, not just creatively.

The organization also led one of the earliest efforts to aggregate, fracture, and normalize Houston’s fragmented cultural arts data, developing a complex system that laid the groundwork for citywide cultural policy, advocacy, and equitable funding strategies. This blend of creative programming and systems thinking positioned Spacetaker as both a community anchor and an innovation engine.

Equally transformative were Spacetaker’s legendary fundraisers, which doubled as immersive art experiences and cultural events. From the “Sold Out” galas to themed spectacles like Synergy and Apocalypto, these gatherings turned raw industrial spaces into vibrant performance environments. Featuring interactive installations, curated auctions, performance art, and even sushi served on living canvases, the events blurred the line between art and audience. They not only raised vital funds but galvanized the creative spirit of the city, making fundraising a form of public art.

In 2012, Spacetaker merged with the Fresh Arts Coalition and began operating under the name Fresh Arts, continuing its original mission with expanded reach and capacity. Its legacy lives on in the programs, infrastructure, and spirit of community-driven innovation that continue to shape Houston’s cultural landscape today.

Spacetaker Corp, (Fresh Arts)
Founder and Executive Director, Houston, TX, 2001- 2009
Envisioned and founded a 501c3 organization to provide artists and small arts groups access to economic
development, continuing education and networking opportunities to further their professional practices.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE

1. Envision and establish organization

2. Recruit and manage board of directors

3. Develop and maintain annual budget with the Culture 365 Plan and memberships

4. Develop and implement strategic plan

5. Envision and build a content management system to aggregate and normalize all the cultural arts data in
   the City of Houston simultaneously publishing a Cultural Arts Calendar, Houston Artist Registry and Resource
   Newsletters for the public and for artists.

6. Develop comprehensive marketing and PR plan for the organization

7. Develop public programing: Artist Saloon, WHAM, Speakeasy, Main Street Takeover, public art performances,
   Cultured Cocktails and Print Partnerships, City Hall art exhibitions, and the best gala’s in the 2000’s.

8. Identify and design the Artist Resource Center with annual attendance of 18,000+

9. Develop professional development workshops for artists and arts administrators

10. Create W.H.A.M, The Winter Holiday Art Market generating $100,000’s of sales for local artists Curate and
    install large fundraising events presenting the visual, literary and performing arts