MEDIA CONTACT:
Vanessa Ormsby, RCA Communications Director
(361) 320-2064 / vanessa@rockportartcenter.com
CATALYST FOR CHANGE MARKS THE END OF A DECADE
Exiting art center executive director Luis Purón led period of remarkable growth
ROCKPORT, Texas (May 29, 2025) — Are you better off than you were 10 years ago? While most Rockport Center for the Arts (RCA) members attending the recent RCA Annual Meeting could certainly attest to great improvements in recent years, a decade of comparative data from the tenure of outgoing RCA executive director Luis Purón was eye-opening just the same.
Puron’s May 6 presentation to members included a list of achievements fostered by the RCA team over the past 10 years under his leadership, the most visible being the $13 million Imagine Capital Campaign which kicked into high gear following Hurricane Harvey’s destruction, resulting in the new 1.2-acre downtown campus complete with sculpture garden and conference center which opened in 2022.
But there has been much more to celebrate, including the launch of multiple programs benefitting the community including culinary and performing arts, making RCA the Texas Coastal Bend’s only multi-disciplinary arts organization; attendance more than doubling to 50,000 annual visitors, membership tripling, the budget multiplying fivefold, new revenue streams established creating less reliance on special event income, a new endowment initiated, a six-figure end-of-year surplus becoming the norm and RCA’s net worth increasing eightfold to $15 million. Better off indeed.
Concluding his tenure as the longest-serving leader in the non-profit’s 56-year history, Purón spoke to the members for the final time before his planned May 31 departure.
“I knew that maintaining traditions was an important life source for Rockport Center for the Arts,” said Purón. “I have witnessed firsthand how our programs bring people together, encourage collaboration and ignite a love for the arts in children and adults alike. The joy and inspiration that the Art Center provides reach far beyond Texas, enriching lives and creating a sense of belonging.”
In addition to more than 300 RCA members, comprised of artists and other Coastal Bend residents, local dignitaries, and community leaders in attendance, had accolades for where RCA finds itself today.
“We went from the little Victorian cottage, which was sweet, but certainly could not take us into the next century,” said Aransas County Commissioner Pat Rousseau. “I remember being here when we opened up the new facility, and we had folks here from Austin and Dallas, big cities, and they couldn't believe Rockport, Texas, had this.”
“People come from all over to see what we have down here,” said Rockport Mayor Tim Jayroe. “Especially since Luis came, the programs that they have, the people that come in and display, what they have created in their lifetime, has been tremendous; it's been a huge asset to our town.”
“I think it's grown the community tremendously,” said Aransas County Judge Ray Garza. “Look at the impact it's made in downtown alone; I see a lot more activity down here.”
Coastal Bend resident and world-renowned wildlife sculptor Kent Ullberg, who has exhibited at RCA and whose work is represented in the art center’s public art program, said artists know the value of a strong art center. “Having a place displaying our work where we live… it means a lot,” said Ullberg. “This fine art center is world-class.”
In addition to its visual arts, RCA is a strong community partner, providing numerous programs, particularly for area youth, free of charge, a commitment appealing to benefactors following the hurricane’s destruction.
“When they heard that we have Free Family Saturdays and that every child in Aransas County can go to summer camp for free, they said, let me write a check,” said Mary Hime, Imagine Capital Campaign chairman and 2020 RCA board chair. ”It was a wonderful opportunity to spread the news about what the art center was doing and what it could do in the future.”
As Purón’s decade comes to a close, current Deputy Director Karen Ernst prepares to take the reins June 1. “As Luis’s remarkable decade of leadership comes to a close, we celebrate the strong foundation he has built, transforming a small arts space into a thriving campus in the heart of downtown,” said Ernst. ”I see this next chapter as an incredible opportunity. We’ve grown so much and so rapidly, now we’re perfectly positioned to build on our legacy and shape an exciting future together.”
“I am especially grateful for the friendships I’ve formed during my time here,” said Purón. ”The camaraderie among the staff, artists, donors and volunteers has been a constant source of personal support and encouragement. Rockport and Rockport Center for the Arts will always have a special place in my heart.”
About Rockport Center for the Arts
The new 1.2-acre Rockport Center for the Arts, the Coastal Bend’s first multidisciplinary arts organization, is located a block away from Aransas Bay in the heart of the Rockport Cultural Arts District. Designed by the award-winning team at Richter Architects, the state-of-the-art campus features a two-story, 14,000-square-foot, visual arts and education building with four galleries and five classrooms (204 S. Austin St.); The Rockport Conference Center, a one-story, 8,000-square-foot conference and event center, known as The ROCC, (106 S. Austin St.); with a 16,000-square-foot Sculpture Garden serving as a visually inspiring transition space between the two buildings. The hours of operation for the showroom, galleries, and gift shop are Tuesday–Saturday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday from noon–4 p.m. Admission is always free. For information on event space or to book an event, call (361) 450-8033. For general information and to become a member, visit rockportartcenter.com, follow RCA on Facebook, or call (361) 729-5519.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Click here for a summary video/key attendee soundbites from the May 6 RCA Annual Meeting
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