For decades, The Woodlands has been home to a number of public art pieces and sculptures displayed throughout the township. Now, cultural nonprofits are looking to bring those pieces together  as a way to attract tourism for the arts. Mike Bass, executive director for The Woodlands Arts Council, delivered a presentation to the township board during its Oct. 19 meeting regarding a proposal to seek a cultural arts designation from the Texas Commission on the Arts. “We have more public art in The Woodlands per capita than any city in the United States,” Bass said. “People drive by these medians and see these statues and other pieces of art. I doubt they understand who the artist is and the history of the art.” Created by House Bill 2208 in 2005 by the Texas Legislature, the Cultural Arts Districts program was created to designate areas of the state that contribute to the area’s artistic amenities. There are 36 existing districts in Texas, including Austin, Waco and five areas of Houston. Should The Woodlands be approved, the township could be eligible to receive funding related to the designation, Bass said. The township approved a resolution of support for the council to include in an application. Bass said the designation could boost tourism and local sales tax revenue by highlighting local art already in the area, bringing in visitors. He said The Woodlands already has a location that would work well as a district. “The area comprised of the Town Center, Hughes Landing and Northshore Park—that whole area is a  prime candidate to become a cultural district,” Bass said. “It’s relatively small and dense, it’s contiguous, it’s walkable, it has transit support, and there are a lot of amenities that are attractive to tourists.” Additionally, The Woodlands Township board of directors announced in October it will continue research toward a cultural arts center, which could include an indoor performing arts venue and a science museum. Township General Manager Don Norrell said board members visited various area museums in early November, including the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Sugar Land, the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston. The township completed a feasibility study earlier this year, in which project development firm Webb Management Services Inc. determined a center could be viable in The Woodlands through partnerships with local higher education institutions and through grants and private funding. A proposed location and timeline for the center has not been announced.