Life in the Program and City
Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene. The Theater District is located downtown and is home to nine major performing arts organizations and six performance halls. It is the second-largest concentration of theater seats in a downtown area in the United States. Houston is one of only five United States cities with permanent, professional, resident companies in all major performing arts disciplines.
Houston is also home to the Bayou City Art Festival, which is considered to be one of the top five art festivals in the United States.
Houston has a multicultural population with a large and growing international community. The metropolitan area is home to an estimated 1.1 million (21.4 percent) residents that were born outside the United States. Houston is home to the nation’s third largest concentration of consular offices representing 86 nations.