Texas Commission on the Arts

Join us in welcoming Alex Tha Great to the 2026-2028 Texas Touring Roster! The Roster is a resource for Texas entities that want to hire more artists to perform or conduct workshops for their community. Alex is one of many artists new to the Roster!

Alex Tha Great (Given Real Encouragement Amongst Turmoil) is a Black woman poet, playwright, and arts curator holding a Master’s degree in Cultural Studies. She is the Executive Director of the Right 2 Write Poetry Slam Festival, fourth-ranked Woman Poet in the World, a TEDx speaker, and community organizer known in her current home of Dallas and earlier roots of East Palo Alto, CA. Her poems have been published in The Cookout, Illya's Honey, The Voices Project, The Legendary, and Linden Avenue. She is the author of the poetry collections Black Souls Dance on Beat (2015) and Weeping in Public Spaces (2022) and the creator of solo shows including Passport to Womanhood, awarded Best One Woman Show by the Houston Fringe Festival, and Don't Let The Sun Beat You Home (2023). Alex served as Artist in Residence for Arts Mission Oak Cliff (2023) and the City of DeSoto (2025). Her most gracious job is being mother to a vivacious nine-year-old girl and is balanced by a self-care routine involving peanut M and Ms, prayer, and much needed naps. She lives by the motto, Whatever you do, let it be bold! Photo by Lenz Noire Media.

See Alex's full Roster profile at https://www.arts.texas.gov/product/alex-tha-great/

The 2026-2028 Texas Touring Roster has many accordion players-- of course! The Roster is a resource for Texas entities that want to hire more artists to perform or conduct workshops for their community. Here's just one of the accordion players on the Roster, Alex Meixner!

Based in New Braunfels, Texas, Alex Meixner is a versatile musician whose work bridges tradition and innovation. Raised in a family with four generations of Austrian and traditional folk musicians, he has built a career as an educator, bandleader, and accomplished multi-instrumentalist, performing on piano accordion, diatonic button accordion, and trumpet. He holds a master’s degree in trumpet performance, bringing a high level of musicianship to every performance. Meixner is known for his engaging stage presence and ability to connect with audiences of all backgrounds. His performances range from intimate solo or duo settings to full-scale festival appearances nationwide. With ease, he transitions from traditional folk music to creative and unexpected arrangements, introducing new audiences to the breadth of the genre. As music journalist Jim Bessman of Billboard and Variety observed, "I saw the future of polka music, and it is Alex Meixner." Through performance and teaching, Meixner continues to honor cultural traditions while expanding their relevance for future generations. Photo by Jennifer Kopp.

See Alex's complete Roster listing at https://www.arts.texas.gov/product/alex-meixner/

Alex Meixner Music

We've got some new-to-us writers on the 2026-2028 Texas Touring Roster! The Roster is a resource for Texas entities that want to hire more artists to perform or conduct workshops for their community. Alda P. Dobbs is just one of the new artists on the Roster, and she has programs for middle grades!

Alda P. Dobbs is the author of the middle grade novels Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna – a Texas Bluebonnet Selection, Pura Belpre Honor Book, and NPR Book of the Year – and its sequel, The Other Side of the River. Her picture book, The Giving Flower: The Story of the Poinsettia, received a starred review from SLJ and is a Reading Rock Stars book. Alda offers programs in English and Spanish that integrate historical research with the arts—using visual storytelling and performance to help students connect cultures, generations, and the natural world. Programs include: Barefoot Dreams: Students see how historical photographs and primary sources become scenes on the page through imagery, structure, and voice. Includes a story-mapping or vignette activity; The Other Side: Alda shares her family's 1913 journey and shows how documents and setting details can be shaped into character-driven narrative, building empathy through point of view and sensory language; Follow Your Passion!: A motivational talk plus mini-workshop on the creative process of finding your voice; The Giving Flower: Making Connections!: An interactive program exploring culture, geography, and science while highlighting illustration choices and the art of translating a story into English and Spanish. Photo by Katherine O. Ryan.

See Alda's full Roster listing at https://www.arts.texas.gov/product/alda-p-dobbs/

Alda P. Dobbs

Happy Father's Day! Magician Zak Mirz is a 2026-2028 Texas Touring Roster artist who often ties his performances to his life as a dad, as well as to his experience losing his father before he turned two. The Roster is a resource for Texas entities that want to hire more artists to perform or conduct workshops for their community, whether their work addresses familial joy, laughter, difficulty, loss, or a combination.

Zak Mirz is an America's Got Talent Season 20 semifinalist, Penn and Teller Fool Us winner, magic advisor to David Blaine's "The Magic Way," and the 2024 Rising Star in Magic Award recipient. His latest tour "Kid@❤" is the world's first interactive magic show where YOU decide what happens next. Rainbows and butterflies or action and adventure? Whether you're a believer or a skeptic, every audience member will leave feeling the magic of what it means to be a kid again. With various production options, Zak's shows can fit into small and large spaces alike. Kid at Heart was created for families, but is a fantastic experience for audiences of all ages. Zak has a variety of illusions and stories he pulls in and out of each show to create a tailored experience for each unique audience. Zak is a first-generation American whose father was murdered when he was only one year old. Growing up in Texas, Zak turned to magic as an escape from reality, and he found it was something he could share. Now, his work has taken him around the globe. He's known for both his emotional storytelling and the unconventional ways he approaches the art of magic. Photo by Paul Rogers.

See Zak's complete Roster listing at https://www.arts.texas.gov/product/zak-mirz/

Zak Mirz

Happy summer (officially)! Nothing says summer like a free outdoor concert series, and the 2026-2028 Texas Touring Roster has plenty of artists up to this task! The Roster is a resource for Texas entities that want to hire more artists to perform or conduct workshops for their community. Rochelle & the Sidewinders Duo is new to the Roster and just played the Bullock Texas State History Museum's June concert series last night!

Rochelle and the Sidewinders are an award winning, high-energy blues rock band based out of Austin, Texas. The Sidewinders have performed as the headlining and support act at dozens of major music festivals throughout Texas, as well as many of the high-profile music venues around the state. Formed during the summer of 2015, the Sidewinders have released five full length albums. The Duo was formed as Rochelle and Tom realized that their strong musical connection translates well to the stripped down and bare sonic environment of vocals and guitar. The Duo performs both original music and a mix of classic blues, soul, pop and jazz standards. The highlight of the Rochelle and the Sidewinders Duo performance is the crystal-clear prominence of Rochelle's magical voice in all its natural glory unencumbered by the dynamic trappings of a full band. In addition, the playful and creative accompaniment of Tom's guitar becomes the perfect platform for Rochelle to weave her melodic enchantment! The musical and spiritual interplay between the two in a live setting is contagious and audiences are consistently captivated and charmed! Don't miss the opportunity to catch this act live and in person! We hope to see you soon! Photo by Tom Coplen.

See their complete Roster listing at https://www.arts.texas.gov/product/rochelle-the-sidewinders-duo/

Rochelle & The Sidewinders

If you're already thinking about how your community can celebrate Juneteenth (or just Friday) in 2027 or 2028, our 2026-2028 Texas Touring Roster can help! The Roster is a resource for Texas entities that want to hire more artists to perform or conduct workshops for their community. Toni Simmons is just one of the fantastic artists available!

Toni Simmons is an award winning, dynamic, and engaging storyteller and author who brings new life to her stories with songs, rhythms, chants and audience participation. Toni is a former librarian and drama teacher who has presented her multicultural tales throughout the US and internationally. She has captivated audiences at many festivals, community events, schools, museums and libraries. She has performed at the National Storytelling Festival Exchange Place, the National Black Storytelling Festival, the Texas Storytelling Festival, and the American Library Association Conference. Her interactive sessions also use creative drama with a variety of age-appropriate folklore. The audience is taken on an imaginary story trip to different continents while helping to tell the stories. Her programs are designed to motivate, inspire and educate while being entertaining. These programs include library summer reading events, Black History Month and multicultural events, and Read Across America activities. Young and old listeners are enchanted by Toni Simmons' stories. Toni is the recipient of the National Storytelling Network ORACLE Award and the Tejas Storytelling Association John Henry Faulk Award for outstanding contributions to the art of storytelling. Photo by Rex Nash.

See Toni's complete Roster listing at https://www.arts.texas.gov/product/toni-simmons/

We're so excited to welcome the artists on our 2026-2028 Texas Touring Roster! The Roster is a resource for Texas entities that want to hire more artists to perform or conduct workshops for their community. Here's just one of the artists on the Roster, A'lante Flamenco:

Thundering footwork, chattering castanets, soaring vocals and blazing guitars--A'lante Flamenco takes hold of an audience and won't let go! The company, directed by Olivia Chacon, features five dancers and four musicians who fill the stage with energy, enthralling audiences of all ages and backgrounds, and presenting flamenco to Texas audiences in fresh and creative ways. Flamenco is a music and dance form hailing from Southern Spain, with Roma (Gypsy), Arabic, Jewish, and Latin American influences. A'lante Flamenco has been hailed by audiences and critics for their dynamic and contemporary approach to flamenco, uniting tradition and innovation. Their programs can be customized for specific venues, events or audiences, including performance plus dance/music workshops, mini-performances, and lecture-demonstrations in Spanish or English, including discussion of history and cultural influences of flamenco. They are currently touring three programs: 'Flamencura' transports audiences into a traditional Spanish flamenco club, where performers show off their skills with fire and passion. 'Flamencura' is highly adaptable, best suited for smaller venues. 'Amor Flamenco' is a more theatrical work showcasing choreography for 3 to 5 dancers and 4 musicians. 'Flamenco Arabe' highlights the Arabic roots of flamenco, and features guest musicians from the Arab music tradition. Photo by Juliana Helton.

See A'lante Flamenco's complete Roster listing at https://www.arts.texas.gov/product/alante-flamenco/

We're so excited to welcome the artists on our 2026-2028 Texas Touring Roster! The Roster is a resource for Texas entities that want to hire more artists to perform or conduct workshops for their community. Here's just one of the artists on the Roster, musician Aaron Stephens:

Born in Illinois, raised on the border in McAllen, and now residing in Bryan, soul singer-songwriter Aaron Stephens is a triple threat. Blessed with a warm, rich voice that hearkens to soul legends such as Bill Withers and Al Green, paired with bluesy, rootsy, Derek Trucks-inspired slide guitar, Stephens' sound is brought together through his own imaginative arrangements and methodical songwriting that can be both introspective and broad-reaching, drawing inspiration from soul, blues, roots, pop, and funk. The Austin Chronicle writes "Stephens executes all these styles well, gliding through genres and emotions." Over the last decade-plus, Stephens has entrenched himself as an exciting talent in not only Texas' musical landscape, but also successful tours across the US. Career highlights include an appearance at the 2021 Austin City Limits Music Festival, a nomination for Best R-and-B/Soul at the 2021 Austin Music Awards, and regular performances at venues such as Gruene Hall and Antone's. Aaron performs with a variety of formats, ranging from solo to varying full-band formats, up to a six-piece with bass, drums, keys, and horns. Aaron also can offer single-day or multi-week educational lectures and hands-on workshops demonstrating elements, sounds and techniques of the lap steel guitar across genres. Photo by Sarah Stephens.

See Aaron's complete Roster listing at https://www.arts.texas.gov/product/aaron-stephens/