The Art Colony Association, Inc. (ACA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to producing the Bayou City Art Festival, announced the addition of Sydney Dao and Obes Nwabara to its Board of Directors.

“With Sydney Dao and Obes Nwabara’s expertise in their industry, I am excited to welcome them as new members of the Art Colony Association Board of Directors. They will make great advocates for our 50th-anniversary celebration and art education programs while helping us take our mission to new heights,” said Kelly Batterson, Executive Director of ACA.

Dao serves as Director of Retail for Houston First Corp. where she oversees three retail locations: LAUNCH, Flight and The Landing in the convention center as well as client amenities. Prior to her current role with Houston First, she was commissioned to create and curate LAUNCH, a pop-up boutique showcasing only Houston designers and makers during Super Bowl LI. Her success with LAUNCH along with over 25 years of experience in all aspects of the fashion industry, lead Dao to her current role. Throughout her career, she launched Houston-based designer Chloe Dao into an international brand, and before that, she represented various designers at Michael Atchison & Associates and Randall Rutledge Public Relations in New York City. She simultaneously held the roles of sales representative and PR executive while managing both partner companies. She currently serves as a member of the Asian Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the chair of the Advisory Board for the Fashion Department at Houston Community College.

Nwabara serves as Category Manager for Enbridge Energy Partners. Before that, he served as Strategic Sourcing Administrator at Baylor Scott & White Health in Dallas where he helped create a pilot program that allowed patients to use rideshare services to get to doctor’s appointments and hospital visits free of charge. After graduating from the University of Houston with a bachelor’s degree in Economics, Nwabara worked as a process and productivity improvement consultant in the food and beverage industry with Myrtle Consulting Group. Throughout his career, he has worked as a strategy consultant and market intelligence analyst where his focus was on providing consulting services and data analytics for the oil and gas industry. Nwabara is actively engaged in community outreach and service.

On October 8-9, 2022, Bayou City Art Festival will celebrate 50 years of providing unique art experiences and education for the greater Houston area by bringing diverse artists to Bayou City Art Festivals while supporting local organizations and promoting the impact that art has on the Houston community.

As one of the top art festivals in the country, the outdoor gallery provides guests with the opportunity to meet 250 artists, view original works, and purchase one-of-a-kind art, prints, jewelry, sculptures, functional art, and more. The festival features two entertainment stages, a food truck park, beverage stations throughout the festival, and art installations. Guests will enjoy Houston’s skyline views while enjoying the festival’s wine garden, craft beer garden, and Art Bar. In the Active Imagination Zone, the festival’s nonprofit partners will host hands-on art activities for all ages.

A portion of the proceeds from Bayou City Art Festival Downtown will benefit the festival’s nonprofit partners. Online early bird tickets will be available on August 1, 2022 at www.bayoucityartfestival.com. Online pre-purchased tickets are required to enter the festival. Tickets will not be sold at the gate and can only be purchased online.