First opened as the El Centro College Fine Art Gallery in 2004, this 1,000-square-foot space took on its current name three years later to honor H. Paxton Moore, a onetime El Centro English instructor and longtime arts patron. Moore formed the college’s first visual arts committee and started purchasing work by students and professors to display around campus. As a result, his namesake gallery features works by students and faculty, as well as the works of local and national professional artists.
The Moore Gallery has hosted events like the Young American Talent art competition for regional high school students and the Houston vs. Dallas Smackdown Round II, where a handful of Houston artists displayed their works for the discerning eyes of the Dallas art community. Lectures, workshops, and other special events are also on the schedule occasionally.