[Arts & Culture Committee on October 9, 2024.]
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EVAN SHABAZZ, A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT D, AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE.
UH, MY CO-CHAIR WILL NOT BE JOINING US TODAY, UH, MARIO CASTILLO, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBER AL KORN FROM AT LARGE FIVE.
THEN WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN'S OFFICE, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S, OFFICE COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, AND AT LARGE ONE COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ.
I CALL THIS MEETING OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE TO ORDER, AND I NEED TO CERTAINLY SAY WE DO NOT HAVE A QUORUM, BUT WE WILL PRESENT THE INFORMATION AND WE ONLY REALLY NEED A QUORUM WHEN WE'RE GONNA TAKE A VOTE.
AND SO THAT'S NOT WHAT WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY.
AND SO IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENT, THERE'S A, A SIGN IN SHEET AT THE FRONT TABLE.
TODAY'S AGENDA INCLUDES A PRESENTATION, PRESENTATION FROM THE HOBBY CENTER, A PRESENTATION FROM THE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, A PRESENTATION FROM PROJECT ROWHOUSE, AND A PRESENTATION FROM JONES HALL.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE AN OPENING COMMENT? OKAY.
UM, AND WE ASK THAT YOU, UH, HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END.
AND AS OF THE DEADLINE YESTERDAY AT 5:00 PM THERE WAS ONE PUBLIC SPEAKER SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
HOWEVER, AGAIN, IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENT HERE IN THE CHAMBER, THERE'S A SIGN IN SHEET AT THE FRONT TABLE.
UH, OUR FIRST PRESENTATION IS THE HOBBY CENTER, AND I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME MARK FOLKS, PRESIDENT AND CEO AND DEBORAH LUGO, VICE PRESIDENT OF PROGRAMMING AND EDUCATION FROM THE HOBBY CENTER TO PROVIDE THEIR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND GOOD AFTERNOON.
I WILL GET MY LITTLE LIGHT HERE.
THE MEMORIAL HERMANN BROADWAY AT THE HOBBY CENTER SEASON, WELCOMING OVER 220,000 TICKET BUYERS EACH SEASON TO THE VERY BEST OF BROADWAY RIGHT HERE AT HOME IN HOUSTON.
THE HOBBY CENTER GENERATES A TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF 53 MILLION ANNUALLY AND SUPPORTS THE SUSTAINING OF MORE THAN 1,650 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT JOBS.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT ECONOMIC IMPACT IS CERTAINLY A DRIVER FOR YOU IN CONSIDERATION AS STEWARDS OF THE CITY'S FINANCIAL RESOURCES.
AND WE ALSO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE THAT THIS SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD ALONGSIDE THE LIFE CHANGING SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS THAT THE ARTS AND ARTISTS BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY.
HIGHER GPAS, SHORTER HOSPITAL STAYS, LOWER STRESS, INCREASED TOURISM, JUST A FEW OF THE DOCUMENTED OUTCOMES OF ARTS PARTICIPATION.
IMPORTANTLY, ARTS ARE A DRIVER OF OUR CIVIC IDENTITY.
A FEW YEARS AGO, YOU PROBABLY RECALL, WE HAD THIS TIME WHERE MANY OF US WERE STAYING IN OUR HOMES,
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NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN HOUSTON'S PARKS, RESTAURANTS, ARTS AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCES.I REMEMBER AT THAT TIME TALKING TO MY FAMILY, MY PARENTS WHO WERE ON THE EAST COAST OF CANADA, AND MY BROTHER AND HIS FAMILY WHO LIVE IN QATAR.
USUALLY, OUR LIVES LOOK VERY DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THE CITIES THAT WE LIVE IN, BUT FOR THAT MOMENT IN TIME, OUR LIVED EXPERIENCES WERE NOT THAT DIFFERENT.
IT SERVED AS A CRITICAL REMINDER OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OUR CITY'S CULTURAL ASSETS AND HOW THEY PLAY A ROLE IN OUR IDENTITY AS HOUSTONIANS.
IT IS OUR ARTS, CULTURAL, CULINARY EXPERIENCES, RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, PARKS AND RECREATION THAT TRULY DEFINED OUR IDENTITY AS HOUSTONIANS.
CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE HERE AT CITY HALL.
WHETHER YOU VISIT THE HOBBY CENTER MANY TIMES A YEAR, MAYBE AS A SUBSCRIBER, OR YOU NEVER ATTEND AT ALL.
I WOULD VENTURE TO GUESS THAT THE HOBBY CENTER CREATES A SHARED SENSE OF PLACE FOR US, SEEING SCHOOL BUSES LINING THE STREETS, SEEING AUDIENCE MEMBERS ON THE FRONT, BALCONY BEFORE PERFORMANCE AT NIGHT.
ARTS VENUES BUILD A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, AND IMPORTANTLY, SAFETY AS WELL AS THE PERCEPTION OF SAFETY FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, WHICH WE KNOW IS A CORE PRIORITY OF CITY COUNCIL AT THIS MOMENT.
LAST YEAR, THE HOBBY CENTER LAUNCHED A TRANSFORMATIVE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT RECONSIDERS HOW WE LEVERAGE THE RESOURCES OF ONE OF OUR REGION'S, VERY LARGEST NONPROFIT PERFORMING ARTS INSTITUTIONS TO STRENGTHEN HOUSTON'S PERFORMING ARTS ECOSYSTEM.
OVERALL, THROUGH THIS WORK, OUR VISION HAS SHIFTED THE HOBBY CENTER FROM LANDLORD TO CONNECTOR, TO CONVENER, AND TO INCUBATOR.
WE'RE BUILDING ON THE LEGACY OF PRESENTING THE VERY BEST OF BROADWAY TO EXPANDING ARTISTIC AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING THAT REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF OUR CITY IN SO MANY NEW WAYS.
WE DO THIS BECAUSE WE ULTIMATELY BELIEVE THAT THIS WORK CREATES A MORE CO CONNECTED AND COHESIVE HOUSTON COMMUNITY.
AS IMPORTANT AS OUR ROADS ARE, AND TRUST ME, WE KNOW THAT OUR ROADS ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
WE'VE GOT MANY 18 WHEELERS THAT NEED TO SAFELY GET TO THE HOBBY CENTER TO ENSURE THE CURTAIN GOES UP FOR EVERY PERFORMANCE.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR ROADS DON'T PROVIDE MEANING TO US WITHOUT PLACES TO DRIVE THAT ADD VALUE TO OUR LIVES.
PLACES WHERE WE CREATE MEMORIES WITH FAMILIES AND FRIENDS THAT WE HOLD ONTO AND CHERISH THROUGH A LIFETIME HELPING MAKE ALL OF THIS WORK POSSIBLE IS DEBRA WHO JOINED THE HOBBY CENTER IN APRIL OF 2023.
AND I'D LOVE TO INTRODUCE DEBORAH TO SHARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF THIS WORK.
AND THANKS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
SO AS PART OF OUR VISION, THE HOBBY CENTERS STRIVES TO SERVE AS A CENTRAL HUB FOR THE HOUSTON ARTS ECOSYSTEM AND HIS HOME, AS MARK SAID, TO MANY ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING OUR PRINCIPAL RESIDENT COMPANY THEATER UNDER THE STARS, AS WELL AS 15 ARTS PARTNERS, WHICH REFLECT THE VIBRANCY AND DIVERSITY OF OUR CITY.
THESE PARTNERS ARE LOCAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, SOME OF THEM HERE TODAY WHO REGULARLY OFFER A WIDE RANGE OF EXCEPTIONAL ARTISTIC AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AT THE HOBBY CENTER.
AND AS WE CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, RIGHT, MOVING FROM LANDLORD TO CONVENER, CONNECTOR, AND INCUBATOR AS PART OF OUR NEW MISSION, WE CONVENE OUR ARTS PARTNERS SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THEM AND WE, AND HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY BUILD A MORE CONNECTED ARTS COMMUNITY.
WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TWO OF THE MANY PROGRAMS WE HAVE AT THE HOBBY CENTER, STARTING WITH THE EXXONMOBIL DISCOVERY SERIES, AND I WONDER IF WE COULD GET THE, THE RIGHT SLIDES SO YOU CAN SEE THAT INFORMATION.
UM, WE CAN MOVE, I THINK MAYBE ONE OR TWO MORE OF THE SLIDES.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK BACK IF YOU CAN, TO YOUR FIRST ARTISTIC EXPERIENCE, YOUR FIRST TIME SITTING IN A THEATER, SEEING A LIVE PERFORMANCE.
DO YOU REMEMBER HOW OLD YOU WERE AT THE TIME? THE EXXONMOBIL DISCOVERY SERIES IS THE HOBBY CENTER'S CORNERSTONE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, SERVING FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS WITH A WIDE ARRAY OF EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCES.
THIS PROGRAM IS COMPLETELY FREE TO SCHOOLS, INCLUDING TICKETS, TRANSPORTATION, AND CURRICULUM GUIDES FOR EDUCATORS.
YOU PROBABLY SAW THE BUSES TODAY AT THE HOBBY CENTER.
THE REALITY IS, THOUGH, THAT FOR ALMOST EVERY STUDENT WHO WALKS THROUGH OUR DOORS, THE EXXONMOBIL DISCOVERY SERIES IS THEIR VERY FIRST TIME SEEING A LIVE SHOW OR BEING IN THE THEATER, OR ACTUALLY COMING TO DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
LAST SEASON, WE SERVED 10005TH GRADE STUDENTS FROM THREE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
THIS YEAR, WE DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF PERFORMANCES AND WE'LL SERVE 20,000 STUDENTS FROM EIGHT DISTRICTS IN OUR REGION.
AND AS WE TALK ABOUT CHANGE TODAY, RIGHT? WHAT IS
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MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT THE HOBBY CENTER IS COMMITTED TO GROWING THE EXXONMOBIL DISCOVERY SERIES TO SERVE ALL 90005TH GRADERS IN OUR REGION ANNUALLY, 48 DISTRICTS ANNUALLY.OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT IN EVERY SCHOOL, IN EVERY DISTRICT EXPERIENCES THE PERFORMING ARTS BEFORE THEY GET TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, BEYOND BEING AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THE EXXONMOBIL DISCOVERY SERIES IS ALSO A WAY IN WHICH THE HOBBY CENTER SUPPORTS LOCAL ARTISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS, AND THIS IS CRITICAL TO US.
THIS SEASON WILL FEATURE NINE ART ORGANIZATIONS, EACH OF THEM PRESENTING SIX PERFORMANCES IN SIL CAHO, REACHING UP TO 3000 STUDENTS.
THE HOBBY CENTER COVERS ALL OF THE PRODUCING EXPENSES, INCLUDING ARTIST FEES, AND IT'S ALL ABOUT THE RIPPLE EFFECT, IN MY VIEW, THE TYPE, THIS TYPE OF PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, NOT ONLY SUPPORTS OUR MISSION AT THE HOBBY CENTER, BUT ALSO ENSURES THESE ORGANIZATIONS WILL FILL THEIR OWN MISSION AND GOALS, WHICH IS REALLY SO IMPORTANT TO US AS PART OF OUR OWN MISSION.
AND YES, YOU KNOW, I AM SURE TO TALK ABOUT A DIFFERENT PROJECT THAT YOU HAVE HEARD OF A BROADWAY MUSICAL CALLED HAMILTON.
UM, THIS, UH, MULTI AWARD-WINNING PRODUCTION IS RETURNING ONCE AGAIN TO HOUSTON THIS SPRING.
AND AS PART OF HAMILTON, THE HOBBY CENTER IS LAUNCHING WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE HAMILTON PROJECT, WITH THE GOAL TO COMBINE THE POWER OF THE ARTS WITH THE CRITICAL MISSION OF CIVIC EDUCATION FOR OUR YOUTH.
THIS PROGRAM WILL SERVE 2,500 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS FROM TITLE ONE SCHOOLS ACROSS THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA, WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN CURRICULUM ABOUT THE FOUNDING ERA IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, AS WELL AS ATTEND THE HAMILTON HIGH SCHOOL NIGHT FREE OF CHARGE ON MARCH 20TH AT 7:00 PM AT THE HOBBY CENTER.
THE HAMILTON PROJECT IS PART OF A MUCH LARGER PROJECT CALLED THE BROADWAY BRIDGES ON THE ROAD, WHICH IS A NEW INITIATIVE FROM THE BROADWAY LEAGUE AIM AT EXPANDING ACCESS TO BROADWAY TOUR PERFORMANCES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS NATIONWIDE.
WHILE THERE ARE 23 OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PARTICIPATING IN BROADWAY BRIDGES BY PROVIDING A LIMITED NUMBER OF TICKETS TO WEEKNIGHT PERFORMANCES FOR STUDENTS, THE HOBBY CENTER IS THE ONLY VENUE IN THE NATION DEDICATING AN ENTIRE PERFORMANCE TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS.
SPECIFICALLY, THE HAMILTON PROJECT INTEGRATES THE ARTS INTO CIVIC EDUCATION BY LEVERAGING ORIGINAL HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS FROM THE FOUNDING ERA TO INSPIRE STUDENT CREATIVITY AND CRITICAL THINKING.
AS PART OF THE PROJECT, EDUCATORS WILL IMPLEMENT A FLEXIBLE CURRICULUM DEVELOPED BY THE GILDER LERMAN INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
ALL PRIMARY TEACHERS WILL RECEIVE AN HONORARIUM COMPREHENSIVE LEARNING STUDY, GUIDES AND MATERIALS, ONGOING SUPPORT FROM CURRICULUM SPECIALISTS AND CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION HOURS.
AS PART OF THIS OPPORTUNITY, STUDENTS WILL CREATE, UM, PERFORMANCE PIECES.
WE'RE TALKING RAPS, POEMS, DRAMATIC WORKS TO REALLY DRAW INSPIRATION FROM LYNN MIRAN DE CREATIVE PROCESS FOR HAMILTON.
UM, AND SOME OF THE FINAL WORKS WILL ACTUALLY RECEIVE SPECIAL AWARDS AT THE HAMILTON HIGH SCHOOL NIGHT, THE, THE NIGHT OF THE PERFORMANCE.
AND OF COURSE, THIS IS SUCH AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS, FOR OUR EDUCATORS, FOR OUR CITY, AND WE INVITE ALL COUNSELOR MEMBERS TO JOIN US ON MARCH, MARCH 20TH.
IN CLOSING, WE KNOW WITH THE LAUNCH OF THIS COMMITTEE, WE UNDERSTAND YOU'RE WORKING TO BUILD YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE ARTS ECOSYSTEM IN HOUSTON.
AS YOU CONTINUE YOUR ANALYSIS, WE OFFER THREE ROLES THAT YOU CONSIDER CONTINUING TO PLAY THROUGH THIS WORK.
ONE, ADVOCACY ACROSS YOUR PEERS AND COUNCIL CHAMBERS ACROSS CITY ADMINISTRATION AND ACROSS BUSINESS LEADERSHIP MORE BROADLY, TWO, CONVENERS, LEVERAGING YOUR ACCESS AND INFLUENCE TO CONVENE DECISION MAKERS AROUND ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS.
ENSURING THE ARTS ALWAYS REMAIN A PRIORITY AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND DECISION MAKING.
AND THREE, AS INVESTORS CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE WORK FINANCIALLY, AS THE CITY HAS A STRONG TRADITION OF DOING TO ENSURE HOUSTON REMAINS HOME TO A DYNAMIC ARTS COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE ALL PROUD OF.
AND BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH ANY QUESTIONS, I WANT TO THANK YOU PERSONALLY, MARK, FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY ARTS COLLECTIVE.
AND SO I ENCOURAGE ANYONE THAT WANTS TO HAVE A A, A FABULOUS VENUE, UH, TO CERTAINLY GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM BECAUSE IT WAS REALLY GREAT.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
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DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SURE.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IT WAS GREAT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR THE STUDENTS.
AND, UM, GLAD YOU'RE GLAD YOU'RE SHOWING EVERYBODY.
HAMILTON THE BEST, BEST SHOW I'VE EVER SEEN.
UM, THE GARAGE, IS THAT HOUSTON FIRST? I MEAN, Y'ALL, NONE OF YOUR PROPERTIES ARE HOUSTON FIRST PROPERTIES, RIGHT? IS THE GARAGE, THE HOUSTON FIRST PROPERTY? UH, IT'S ALL INDEPENDENTLY MANAGED AND OPERATED BY THE HOBBY CENTER FOUNDATION.
OUR DBA IS HOBBY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW WHY I HAD THE GARAGE STUCK IN MY HEAD AS SOMETHING THAT, THAT ULTIMATELY, HOUSTON MUSIC HALL FOUNDATION WAS CREATED IN THE NINETIES TO DEVELOP, UH, THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND THEN MANAGED THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.
THROUGH THAT AGREEMENT, THE REAL ESTATE WAS GIFTED BACK TO THE CITY.
SO IT IS OWNED BY THE CITY, BUT IT IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT'S MANAGED COMPLETELY INDEPENDENTLY BY OBVIOUSLY.
WE OWN THE PROPERTY, BUT, BUT WE NEVER HAVE MANAGED IT OR, OR, AND WHAT KIND OF FUND DO YOU GET ANY KIND OF FUNDING FROM? THE, THERE IS AN ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON THAT IS USED TO CONTINUE TO PAY DOWN THE ORIGINAL DEBT ON THE BUILDING.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANY REPRESENTATIVES OF COUNCIL MEMBERS? OKAY, WELL, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION, WHICH IS THE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
WELCOME HARRISON GUY, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE DELUXE THEATER TO PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
UM, YOU ARE MY COUNCIL MEMBER, SO I LIVE IN SUNNYSIDE, BUT WORK IN FIFTH WARD.
SO EXCITED THAT YOU ARE LEADING THIS CHARGE.
UM, SO I'M HERE JUST TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FIFTH WARD CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT.
WHAT'S SUPER EXCITING ABOUT US AS A ARTS ENTITY IS WE ARE AT THE INTERSECTION OF ARTS AND COMMUNITY.
UM, AND SO THAT CAN BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE ARE BALANCING WHAT IT MEANS TO BRING ART AND CULTURE TO THE COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY HAS AMENITIES, BUT MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALSO INVITING VISITORS INTO THE AREA AS WELL.
AND SO, THE FIFTH WARD CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT IS MANAGED BY THE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WHERE WE ARE CREATING A COMMUNITY OF CHOICE.
SO, OUR MISSION AND VISION FOR THE FIFTH WARD, CRC IS TO CATALYZE RESOURCES TO BUILD AND PRESERVE AN INCLUSIVE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY BY DEVELOPING PLACES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
FIFTH WARD, CRC BRINGS TOGETHER PARTNERS AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO FOCUS ON THE REDEVELOPMENT OF FIFTH WARD BY PROVIDING HOUSING, ART, CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES, COMMUNITY PARKS, AND MORE.
WE ARE EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE FIFTH WARD AREA.
SO THE ORGANIZATION'S WORK INCLUDES REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT, HOME OWNERSHIP, AND PROMOTION AND PRESERVATION, ARTS AND CULTURE, WHICH IS MY DEPARTMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO THESE ARE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THE FIFTH YC IS WORKING ON, BUT I'M HERE OF COURSE, TO SPECIFICALLY TALK ABOUT OUR ARTS INITIATIVES.
SO THE FIFTH WARD, UM, THE FIFTH WARD CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT BECAME A ARTS DISTRICT IN 2020.
SO WE'RE NEW TO THE GAME, UM, STILL, I WOULD SAY, UM, BUT OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE.
IT IS TO SUPPORT AND MAINTAIN AN ARTS RICH COMMUNITY.
UM, TO PUT IT SIMPLY, WE BELIEVE THAT ARTS SHOULD BE AT EVERY TABLE.
WE BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR COMMUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE ART.
AND, AND SO THAT IS WHY THE ARTS DISTRICT LIVES IN FIFTH WARD.
OUR CORE PRINCIPLES FROM OUR CULTURAL ARTS PLAN.
UM, WE HAVE FIVE OF THEM FOR FIFTH WARD, VERY SYMBOLIC.
A LOT OF TIMES COMMUNITIES ARE PLAGUED BY ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS WHO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE SAVIORS AND BRINGING GREAT ART INTO A COMMUNITY.
WELL, FIFTH WARD BELIEVES THAT IT IS INHERENTLY ALREADY ARTISTIC, THAT THE PEOPLE ARE ARTISTIC AND THAT THEY WANT TO LIVE CREATIVE LIVES.
UM, THE SECOND ONE IS ART IS DEMOCRATIC AND ACCESSIBLE.
WE BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE ARTS.
AND SO A LOT OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT WE DO IS FREE OF CHARGE.
YOU CAN WALK TO A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WITHIN OUR DISTRICT.
WE BELIEVE THERE IS NO ART WITHOUT PEOPLE.
A LOT OF OUR ART PROJECTS ARE ACTUALLY ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF FIFTH WARD.
WE HAVE A LOT OF NOTABLES FROM FIFTH WARD, FROM MICKEY LELAND, UM, TO BARBARA JORDAN, TO JOE SAMPLES, TO, UM, PEACOCK RECORDS.
SO THE, THE COMMUNITY HAS A LONG HISTORY AND LEGACY OF AMAZING ARTISTS AND ACHIEVERS, AND WE USE THEM AS CORNERSTONES FOR WHAT WE DO WITH OUR ART PROJECTS.
THE FOURTH ONE IS ART IS MORE THAN A HOBBY.
WE BELIEVE IN PAYING ARTISTS WELL.
UM, AND WE ALSO ARE REALLY, REALLY AIMING TO HAVE MORE ARTISTS LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE LAST ONE IS ART RESPONDS TO OUR, OUR LARGEST CHALLENGES.
AGAIN, IN THE BEGINNING I SAID WE BELIEVE THAT ART SHOULD BE AT EVERY TABLE.
WE BELIEVE WE CAN USE ART TO INCREASE PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN USE ART AS A MECHANISM
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FOR BEING HEALTHY.WE BELIEVE THAT ART REALLY SHOULD RESPOND TO OUR LARGEST CHALLENGES.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO THE ART DISTRICT PLANNING, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE GET TO THIS WORK, UM, THE PLAN THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING FOR, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, A COMMUNITY LIKE FIFTH WARD GETS SURVEYED A LOT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PLANS THAT START, AND THEN WHAT TYPICALLY HAPPENS IS NOTHING HAPPENS WITH THOSE PLANS.
AND SO THE ARTS PLAN ACTUALLY BROUGHT TOGETHER ALL THE PREVIOUS PLANS THAT HAD BEEN DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY FIRST.
IT ALSO BROUGHT ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, STAKEHOLDERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, PASTORS, ARTISTS, AND JUST RESIDENTS TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH THIS PLAN.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PLAN THAT WE'RE WORKING FROM ALREADY INCLUDES A LOT OF VOICES FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO THIS IS WHAT THE DISTRICT IS, IT IS SEVERAL BLOCKS ALONG LIONS AVENUE WITH THE DELUXE THEATER, UH, BEING OUR CULTURAL HUB, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
IT, IT EXTENDS FROM LOCKWOOD TO IAN.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THIS MAP HERE, THERE ARE LOTS OF ASSETS THAT WE HAVE.
MOST OF THEM ARE HISTORIC IN NATURE AND ARE NO LONGER THERE.
UM, BUT WE, WE PLAN TO MARK THOSE WITH HISTORICAL LANDMARKS.
NOW I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE AMAZING PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, UM, IN THE FIFTH WARD CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT.
I'LL START OUT BY TALKING ABOUT THE DELUXE SHOW THAT HAPPENED IN 1971.
SO THE DELUXE THEATER WAS FOUNDED AND STARTED IN 1949 AS A MOVIE HOUSE.
IT'S ONE OF THE ONLY PLACES THAT BLACK PEOPLE COULD SEE FILM IN HOUSTON.
AT THAT TIME, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE WITH SEGREGATION, IT STAYED OPEN AS A CROWN JEWEL OF THE COMMUNITY FROM 1949 TO ABOUT 1971 WHEN, UM, OF COURSE, FREEWAYS ARE PUT THROUGH THE COMMUNITY.
AND ALSO INTEGRATION HAPPENED SO PEOPLE COULD, BLACK PEOPLE COULD SEE FILMS ANYWHERE.
SO THE THEATER SAW A DECLINE IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES, AND IT STAYED VACANT UNTIL 1971 WHEN THE DAMON NEILS, UM, COMMISSIONED PETER BRADLEY, WHO'S A AMAZING BLACK ARTIST FROM NEW YORK TO COME TO HOUSTON AND PRODUCE AN ART EXHIBITION.
AND THEIR ONLY ASK WAS THAT IT WAS WITHIN A BLACK COMMUNITY.
AND HE SURVEYED THE COMMUNITY AND LANDED IN FIFTH WARD AND THE VACANT SPACE, THAT WAS THE DELUXE THEATER AT THE TIME.
SO IN 1971, THE DELUXE SHOW HAPPENED.
IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST INTEGRATED ART EXHIBITIONS IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND IT HAPPENED RIGHT IN FIFTH WARD.
SO CURRENTLY TODAY, UM, AFTER IT CLOSED IN 1973, IT STAYED OPEN FROM 1971 AND 1973, THE COMMUNITY HAD A FEW MORE ART EXHIBITIONS, AND THEN IT STAYED VACANT FROM 1973 TO 2015 WHEN THE THEATER CAME BACK, NOT JUST AS A MOVIE HOUSE, BUT ALSO AS A PROSCENIUM THEATER.
THEY ADDED THE, UM, ADJACENT BUILDING THAT USED TO BE A FURNITURE STORE SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN HAVE A COMMUNITY SPACE.
AND SO IT'S LIFE TODAY CAN SHOW MORE THAN JUST FILMS, AND IT ALSO CAN HOUSE MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GATHER.
SO SINCE IT IS NOW A PROSCENIUM THEATER, WE ARE A, WE'RE, UM, ABLE TO DO THEATER.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP FROM OUR CULTURAL ARTS PLAN IS THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS DYING TO HAVE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH.
UM, IN FACT, THEY SAID, FORGET ABOUT THE ADULTS FOR A WHILE, AND LET'S JUST FOCUS ON YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE STARTED WAS A MUSICAL THEATER PROGRAM CALLED DELUXE KIDS.
IT'S IN ITS THIRD YEAR OF ITERATIONS.
THEY HAVE AN AMAZING, UH, HOLIDAY SHOW EVERY YEAR.
THIS YEAR THEY'RE DOING ANNIE JUNIOR, UM, AND SOME OF THE STUDENTS, UH, THE VERY FIRST YEAR WAS THEIR FIRST TIME EVER BEING IN A PLAY.
AND SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS HAVE GONE ON TO AUDITION AND ALSO DO PLAYS AT THE ENSEMBLE AND ALSO DO, UH, TO DO PLAYS AT TUTS.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S A SHINING EXAMPLE OF WHEN STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS, WHO KNOWS WHERE THEY CAN GO.
WE ALSO HAVE A DELUXE KIDS VIOLIN PROGRAM.
THIS IS A COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAM.
IT IS FREE TO ANY STUDENT WHO WANTS TO COME.
THE PROGRAM IS HOUSED AT BRUCE ELEMENTARY AND IT'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH HOUSTON SYMPHONY AND, AND A FA.
AND SO WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST VIOLIN ARTISTS TEACHING OUR STUDENTS THREE DAYS A WEEK.
UM, THEY PERFORM ALL OVER THE CITY.
UM, IT'S ALSO THREE YEARS OLD.
AND THEY, AND, AND IT'S JUST AN AMAZING PROGRAM.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY EARLIER, AND SO THESE STUDENTS GET FREE VIOLIN AND FREE TRAINING.
UM, AND SO THAT THE PARENTS ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THIS PROGRAM IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THE, THE CROWN JEWEL OF THE COMMUNITY IS THE, THIS YEAR WILL BE THE 13TH YEAR, THE LIONS AVENUE, AVENUE RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL.
IT'S ALWAYS THE WEEK BEFORE EASTER.
WE HAVE AN AMAZING EASTER EGG DROP WHERE WE DROP THOUSANDS OF EASTER EGGS FROM A HELICOPTER.
AND THE, THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY LOVE THIS.
UM, AND SO THIS IS THE SIGNATURE EVENT FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT.
IT HAPPENS ALONG LIONS AVENUE.
IT HAS FOUR STAGES OF ENTERTAINMENT.
THERE'S A GOSPEL STAGE, THERE'S A YOUTH STAGE.
LAST YEAR, LATOYA LUCKETT WAS OUR, WAS OUR HEADLINER.
HER FATHER WAS BORN AND RAISED IN FIFTH WARD, SO IT WAS A GREAT HOMECOMING FOR HER.
BUT THE LIONS AVENUE RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL IS, IS REALLY, REALLY A TO-DO.
IF YOU HAVE NOT ATTENDED, YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY ATTEND THIS SPRING.
AND BECAUSE THE FIFTH WARD, CRC IS A HOUSING ORGANIZATION, THIS IS ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT REALLY, REALLY HELPS US TO SHINE
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WITH WHAT WE DO.WE OWN 15 COTTAGES BEHIND THE DELUXE THEATER, AND WE ARE CONVERTING THOSE TO BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SPECIFICALLY FOR ARTISTS.
AND SO WE, WE'VE ALREADY COMPLETED ONE OF THEM AND WE HAVE OUR FIRST ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, UM, LIVING THERE.
AND THE PLAN IS THAT WE WILL HAVE THREE ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE LIVING THERE TO EXCHANGE ART FOR THE COMMUNITY IN EXCHANGE FOR RENT.
AND THEN THE OTHER 10 WILL GO FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ARTISTS THAT WANT TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO, JOSEPH HALCOMB IS OUR FIRST ARTIST IN RESIDENCE.
UM, HE'S EXCITED TO DO A FASHION SHOW AND TEACH REUSABLE FASHION TO THE STUDENTS AT WHEATLEY HIGH SCHOOL AS HIS, AS HIS CULMINATING PROJECT.
UM, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE HIM AS OUR AN INAUGURAL ARTISTS.
SO, I TOLD YOU ABOUT THE DELUXE SHOW THAT HAPPENED WHEN I FIRST TOOK THIS POSITION.
IT WAS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DELUXE SHOW.
SO WE BROUGHT THE ART EXHIBITION BACK.
UM, AND WHAT YOU SEE NOW IS A FLYER FOR WHAT WAS THE FIRST, UM, UH, CELEBRATORY, UM, OPPORTUNITY OF THE ART EXHIBITION.
THIS WAS, UM, MARK FRANCIS WAS THE ARTIST, AND HE WENT AROUND THE COMMUNITY, TOOK PHOTOS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND DID PENCIL WORK OF THE COMMUNITY AND HUNG IT IN A GALLERY STYLE.
AND THE COMMUNITY WAS SUPER EXCITED TO SEE THEMSELVES REFLECTED IN AN ART EXHIBITION.
FIFTH WARD LIVE IS, UM, A CONCEPT THAT WE HAVE THAT THAT JUST BRINGS LIVE PERFORMANCES TO THE DELUXE THEATER.
THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING OF TWO JAZZ CONCERTS THAT WE HAD.
WE PARTNER WITH A LOT OF THE AMAZING ARTISTS AND ART INSTITUTIONS IN THE, IN THE CITY.
AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO WITH THE ART, A MUSIC INSTITUTION CALLED NAMELESS SOUND, WHERE WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT, AGAIN, WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE RESIDENTS AND ANYONE WHO WANTS TO VISIT FIFTH WARD TO SEE THE BEST OF MUSIC, THEATER, DANCE, AND VISUAL ART.
SO WE POSTED BLACK THEATER WEEK, THIS YEAR WAS OUR SECOND YEAR.
WHAT WE LEARNED IS THAT A LOT OF BLACK, UM, PLAYWRIGHTS, UM, DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO SHOWCASE THEIR, THEIR WORK.
UM, AND SO EVERY YEAR WE HAVE BLACK THEATER WEEK AND WE BRING THREE TO FIVE EMERGING BLACK PLAYWRIGHTS TOGETHER.
WE SERVE AS THE BACKBONE SUPPORT FOR THEM.
WE GIVE THEM PRODUCTION SUPPORT, BOX OFFICE SUPPORT.
WE HELP THEM TO PROMOTE THEIR SHOW, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY HELPING THEM TO SEE THEIR, THE, THE FULL LIVES OF THE, THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR HEADS.
AND SO IT'S SUPER SUCCESSFUL AND WE WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO CULTIVATE A BLACK ARTIST AND BLACK THEATER COMMUNITY WITHIN THE, THE DELUXE THEATER.
AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF US UTILIZING THAT ADJACENT SPACE I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
UM, IT ALLOWS US TO NOW USE THIS SPACE FOR EVERYTHING FROM REPASS TO WEDDING RECEPTIONS.
BUT YOGA IN THE FIFTH IS A OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO EXPERIENCE YOGA ON A WEEKLY BASIS, AGAIN, FOR FREE.
UM, THIS PROGRAM HAS HAD UP TO 80 PEOPLE PRACTICING YOGA AT ONE TIME.
SO THE COMMUNITY HAS REALLY TAKEN TO IT.
UM, WE'VE ALSO TRIED SALSA, HIP HOP, DANCING.
AND SO THE IDEA IS THAT WE ARE GETTING THE COMMUNITY MOVING, UM, WITHIN THIS SPACE.
AND WE LIKE TO CALL THIS SWING SPACES.
SO IN FIFTH WARD, THERE ARE A LOT OF VACANT OPPORTUNITIES TO USE SPACES.
AND SO SWING SPACES IS ALLOWING US TO USE EITHER SPACES FOR MULTIPLE USES OR TO TAKE VACANT SPACES AND TRANSFORM THEM INTO SOMETHING USEFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO, MEMORY IS REALLY BIG IN THE FIFTH WARD CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT, WE LIKE TO SAY MEMORY BUILDS THE MONUMENT.
UM, A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT IS WE PRODUCED A DOCUMENTARY CALLED MEMORY BUILDS THE MONUMENT, AND IT FOCUSED ON THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF OUR CHITLIN CIRCUIT.
UM, LIVE MUSIC VENUE THAT WAS CLUB MATINEE THAT IS NO LONGER HERE.
AND SO THIS WAS DONE BY A FIFTH WARD ARTIST AND IT WAS PREMIERED AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AND NOMINATED FOR A NAACP IMAGE AWARD.
IT'S A SHORT FILM, YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD SEE.
IT'S CURRENTLY STREAMING ON BET PLUS.
UM, BUT WHAT IT ALLOWED TO DO, WHAT IT ALLOWED THE COMMUNITY TO DO WAS TO COME TOGETHER AND TO HAVE THAT NOSTALGIC MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT CLUB MATINEE, BUT TO ALSO HAVE A LIVING, BREATHING ART PIECE THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS A LONG LIST OF ALL THE AWARDS THAT THE FILM HAS WON.
UM, AND THAT IS TO SAY THAT I THINK COMMUNITY, UM, WORK IS COMPETITIVE.
UM, WE SET OUT TO ONLY PLEASE THE COMMUNITY, BUT, UH, IN RETURN THE FILM COMMUNITY REALLY, REALLY AWARDED THIS, UM, FILM.
THIS IS A CURRENT PROJECT WE'RE WORKING ON, AGAIN, A SWING SPACE.
ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, MR. HENRY, WHO'S BEEN THERE FOR 82 YEARS, HE OWNED SEVERAL PROPERTIES AND HE'S ALLOWING US TO USE HIS CHAPEL, WHICH ONCE WAS A FUNERAL HOME TO CONVERT INTO A MINI MUSIC MUSEUM.
THIS MUSEUM WILL CELEBRATE THE LEGACY SPECIFICALLY OF THE FIFTH WARD MUSIC STORY.
AND SO WE ARE SUPER EXCITED IT'S GONNA OPEN THIS YEAR.
UM, THE MURAL THAT'S GONNA BE PAINTED ON IT IS, IS GOING UP IN TWO WEEKS.
AND SO THIS IS A CURRENT PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AND WE HOPE YOU WILL VISIT AND LEARN ABOUT THE MUSICAL LEGACY OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE WORKING ON.
I'LL TALK ABOUT A FEW OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN OUR DISTRICT THAT ARE OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR FRIENDS.
WE ARE SO EXCITED TO HAVE MEOW WOLF, UH, COMING
[00:30:01]
ONLINE ON HALLOWEEN.PERFECT DAY FOR MEOW WOLF TO OPEN.
WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL VISIT MEOW WOLF, BUT IT IS A HUGE ART INSTALLATION.
IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT, IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR THEM TO BE IN FIFTH WARD.
THEY HAVE SPENT TWO YEARS GETTING TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY, HAVING SEVERAL COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AND THINKING ABOUT HOW THEY CAN INTEGRATE INTO, INTO THE COMMUNITY.
WELL, A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE WORKING AT MEOW WOLF.
UM, SO THEY ARE TRULY A BIG PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
ACROSS THE STREET FROM THEM, WE HAVE ST.
ARNOLD'S BREWERY, WHO IS ALSO A KEY PLAYER IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'VE HAD SEVERAL INITIATIVES TO ALWAYS GIVE US PRODUCT, UM, FOR EVENTS, BUT TO ALSO, UM, HAVE SOME PRODUCT THAT WE RECEIVE SOME PERCENTAGES OF, OF SOME OF THE SALES OF THAT.
SO THEY'RE ALSO A GREAT PLAYER, UM, IN, IN OUR DISTRICT.
TWO OF THE OTHER PEOPLE I WANT TO MENTION IS MYSTIC LYON, WHICH IS ANOTHER ART INSTI, UH, INSTITUTION ON LIONS AVENUE.
MYSTIC LYONS FOCUSES ON, UM, TEACHING PEOPLE TO DO, UH, POTTERY.
UM, SO A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGE IN THAT.
AND THEN TONY PIANA HAS A MOBILE ART SPACE THAT IS A SHIPPING CONTAINER.
HE CONVERTED INTO A GALLERY, UM, WHERE IT IS ON ONE OF OUR PARKS, UM, IN THE MIDDLE OF LIONS AVENUE.
AND HE HAS, UH, SEVERAL EXHIBITIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WHERE PEOPLE CAN SEE HIS ART AND OTHER ARTISTS THAT HE INVITE.
SO AS YOU CAN HEAR, A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IS INFUSED WITH PEOPLE.
IT'S INFUSED WITH COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S WHAT WE AIM TO CELEBRATE IN THE FIFTH WARD CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT IT, I REMEMBER GROWING UP GOING TO THE MAJESTIC AND THE, UM, METROPOLITAN, THE DOWLING.
AND, UH, JUST, IT BROUGHT MY GREAT MEMORIES FROM, FOR ME TO WALK INTO THE DELUXE IS JUST A REALLY, REALLY WONDERFUL VENUE.
AND CERTAINLY, OF COURSE, THE RIVER OAKS, I THINK HAS JUST BEEN REVITALIZED.
AND THEN I THINK THE ALABAMA IS A BUSINESS.
SO I I JUST LOVE THE FACT THAT WE CAN REUSE THESE HISTORICAL BUILDINGS OR REVITALIZE THESE HISTORICAL BUILDINGS.
AND I, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY ACTUALLY TO GO TO, WITH, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON AND, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM TO LAS VEGAS TO SEE MEOW WOLF.
IT'S GONNA BE A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL OPENING.
I WAS THERE FOR THE, UM, GROUNDBREAKING.
UM, AND SO IT'S GONNA BE WONDERFUL.
AND IT'S ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE BREWERY
BUT AT ANY RATE, UH, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
AND THEN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PIECE.
YEAH, THAT IS JUST MAGNIFICENT.
IT KIND OF PUTS ME IN THE MINOR PROJECT ROW HOUSES SOMEWHAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, THANK YOU, HARRISON.
WHAT A GREAT SPOKESMAN YOU ARE FOR THIS.
UM, I LOVED HEARING ABOUT EVERYTHING GOING ON.
I ALSO WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE HOUSING DEAL.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
WERE THOSE BUILT FROM THE GROUND UP OR WERE THINGS, WERE THEIR COTTAGES THERE OR? YEAH, SO THE COTTAGES ARE OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD, SO IT'S A, IT'S A PRESERVATION PROJECT FOR US AS WELL.
A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE AIM TO DO IS NOT ERASE THE FOOTPRINT.
AND SO ANYTIME WE CAN PRESERVE THE BUILDING, EVEN IT'S TO USE IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
I LOVE GOING TO DELUXE THEATER.
I I WENT THERE FAIRLY RECENTLY AND IT, EVERYTHING I'VE COME BEEN TO THERE IS GREAT.
UM, AND THE, THE RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL IS ALWAYS FUN.
THE, UM, HOW DOES THE, THE, THE FUNDING FOR THE HOUSING GO? SO THE FUND, BECAUSE THE, UM, THE FUNDING IS BECAUSE THE PROJECT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR ARTISTS, THERE'S NOT ANY GOVERNMENT SUPPORT MM-HMM
SO IT'S PRIVATE, UM, GIVING AND DONATIONS.
WE HAVE SOME, THE BROWN FOUNDATION IS ONE OF OUR, OUR, OUR SUPPORT.
UM, AND SO YEAH, THAT'S THE AVENUE WE HAD TO TAKE FOR GETTING THIS COMPLETE, UM, SINCE IT IS SPECIFIC TO ARTISTS.
AND ARE YOU, UM, WHEN DO YOU HOPE TO BOOK THE REST OF THEM UP AT LEASE THE REST OF THEM UP? ARE THEY READY? THEY, THEY, THEY ARE NOT READY.
BUT YOU, YOU KNOW HOW HOUSING, OH, PROCESS.
I REMODELING A HOUSE RIGHT NOW TO TAKE 'EM FOREVER.
UM, AND I'M EXCITED FOR MEOW WOLF.
I'VE NEVER BEEN TO WINE, BUT I'M SUPER EXCITED FOR THAT.
I'M GOING TO WHENEVER THE OPENING IS.
AND, UM, ANYWAY, JUST THANKS FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING, UM, FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AND FOR OUR CITY.
IT'S, IT'S A VITAL PART OF OUR, OF OUR LIFE, THE ARTS, AND I APPRECIATE ALL YOU'RE DOING.
UH, DID YOU, DIDN'T YOU SAY YOU WERE FROM SUNNYSIDE? I LIVED FROM SUNNYSIDE.
I JUST THOUGHT I HEARD THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
AND SPEAKING OF THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION, OUR NEXT, UM, REPORT, UH, WILL BE FROM PROJECT ROWHOUSE, WHICH CERTAINLY IS IN THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE DANIELLE BURNS WILSON, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PROJECT ROWHOUSE, TO PRESENT NEXT.
MY NAME IS DANIELLE BURNS WILSON, AND I HAVE THE HONOR OF SERVING AS DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PROJECT OR HOUSES.
AND I GUESS I, CAN WE POP A SLIDE? SO, UM, I WAS CHARGED WITH JUST KIND OF TELLING
[00:35:01]
YOU ABOUT THE HISTORY OF PROJECT GROW HOUSES AND WHAT WE'RE DOING CURRENTLY.SO JUST WANTED TO START WITH OUR MISSION, WHICH IS WE EMPOWER PEOPLE IN ENRICH COMMUNITIES THROUGH ENGAGEMENT, ART, AND DIRECT ACTION.
I'D LIKE TO BEGIN OUR STORY HERE.
IT'S AN IMAGE OF KNOWN ARTISTS, DR.
JOHN BIGGERS, THE MAN WHO BEGAN THE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ART DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO THE MUSE FOR PROJECT ROW HOUSES.
THE ROW OF SHOTGUN HOUSES DERIVES ITS POWER FROM THE RHYTHMIC, GEOMETRIC FORMS AND ELEMENTS THAT HAVE LONG BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL LANDSCAPE.
THE SHOTGUN WAS INTRODUCED TO THE US BY FREE HAITIANS, AND IT IS IN ESSENCE A RECONNECTION OF AFRICAN AND AFRICAN AMERICANS WITH A SOCIALLY, UH, INTIMATE SPACE FOUND IN WEST AFRICAN CULTURE.
IN ARCHITECTURE, THE ARCHITECTURE REFLECTS THE LACK OF IMPORTANCE GIVEN TO INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE DWELLING.
THE EMPHASIS INSTEAD IS ON THE CELEBRATION OF FAMILY LIFE, COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS.
IT CREATES A SENSE OF COLLECTIVE IDENTITY.
THE PORCHES TRANSFORM INTO COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACES, AND THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF PROJECT WAREHOUSES.
IN 1992, ARTISTS AND ACTIVIST, RICK LOWE WAS VOLUNTEERING AT SHAPE COMMUNITY CENTER IN THIRD WARD, HE JOINED A TOUR WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND CITY OFFICIALS.
I'M SORRY, THERE'S SOME FEEDBACK ON HERE.
UM, JOINED, UH, WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND CITY OFFICIALS AND THE HOUSES ON HOLMAN STREET.
UM, WERE BROUGHT TO THE GROUP'S ATTENTION AT THE CORNER OF LIVE OAK AND HOLMAN.
IN THIRD WARD, IT WAS CONSIDERED THE MOST DANGEROUS BLOCK IN HOUSTON.
NOW, RICK STUDIED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY WITH JOHN BIGGERS IN THE 1990S AND SAW THE HOUSES.
AND HE REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT DR.
BIGGERS PAINTINGS IN THE BEAUTIFUL BLACK UTOPIA THAT WAS DEPICTED WORKING AROUND THE ROW HOUSES AND WHERE OTHERS SAW POVERTY, DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS.
HE SAW A FUTURE FOR POSITIVE, CREATIVE AND TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCES.
HE BEGAN EXPLORING HOW ART MIGHT BE AN ENGINE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE.
RICK BROUGHT TOGETHER SIX OTHER ARTISTS WHO ARE ALL HERE NOW.
RICK IS IN THE MIDDLE WITH THE GLASSES ON.
AND RICK, JUST TO NOTE THAT HE ALSO RECEIVED A MACARTHUR GENIUS GRANT IN 2014 FOR PROJECT WAREHOUSES.
SO FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, UH, YOU HAVE GEORGE SMITH, BERT LONG, JR.
OF COURSE, RICK LOWE, UH, BERT SAMPLES.
HE'S HOLDING AN IMAGE OF FOUNDER JAMES BENISON JESSE LOT, AND FLOYD NEWSOM, WHOM WE JUST LOST, UM, ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO.
SO THESE ARTISTS AT THE TIME, THEY DIDN'T SEE THEMSELVES IN WHITE CUBES OR WHAT WE KNOW AS MUSEUMS, BUT ALSO THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THEY NEEDED TO LEAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD TO SEE ART.
SO WHAT THEY REALLY WERE TRYING TO DO WAS DEMOCRATIZE ART.
SO IN 1993, THERE WAS REALLY A HUGE CITYWIDE SUPPORT, UM, TO START THIS SOCIALLY ENGAGED PROJECT.
AND THEY RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE NEA EVEN BEFORE THEY EVEN HAD THEIR FULL NONPROFIT TAX STATUS.
AND WE RECEIVED A LOT OF FUNDING FROM THE CITY.
SO WE PURCHASED THE BLOCK AND A HALF ON HOLMAN STREET, AND THAT'S WHEN THEY CAME TOGETHER WITH OTHER ART ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE MANO, UH, COLLECTION, DIVERSE WORKS.
THEY BANDED TOGETHER ALONGSIDE THESE ARTISTS TO REALLY REVITALIZE THESE HOUSES.
AS THE RENOVATIONS CONTINUED, PROJECT AUER RECEIVED MORE AND MORE ATTENTION IN SUPPORT OF THE INNOVATIVE PROJECT.
AND NOW WE ARE KNOWN AS A SOCIALLY ENGAGED ART PROJECT.
BACK THEN, THERE WAS NO LANGUAGE FOR WHAT WE WERE DOING.
NOW WE KNOW IS WHAT'S CALLED SOCIALLY ENGAGED ART.
NOW THERE'S ANOTHER MUSE FOR PROJECT ROW HOUSES.
UM, RICK WAS READING ABOUT A GERMAN ARTIST NAMED JOSEPH BOIES, AND HE COINED THE TERM SOCIAL SCULPTURE.
AND IN THAT, THAT THE, THE TERM SOCIAL SCULPTURE, IT BASICALLY MEANS THAT WE BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE IS AN ARTIST AND CAN BE A CATALYST FOR CHANGE.
IT WAS ALSO DURING THE TIME, UM, WHEN RICK WAS ENCOUNTERED BY A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHO ACTUALLY CHALLENGED HIM.
HE'S LIKE, OKAY, THIS ARTWORK IS GREAT, AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS GREAT, BUT YOU'RE JUST HIGHLIGHTING WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW IS GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO HOW CAN YOU USE ART TO CREATE SOLUTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS? SO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AT PROJECT ROW HOUSES IS PRETTY MUCH A CALL AND RESPONSE FROM THE COMMUNITY.
[00:40:01]
SO IN 1993, AGAIN WITH THIS CHARGE, THEY STARTED TO THINK ABOUT, THE FOUNDERS STARTED TO THINK ABOUT HOW CAN WE REALLY USE ARTS AS A CATALYST? SO THEY FOCUSED ON HOW TO INFUSE ARTISTIC PRESENCE IN THE PROJECT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.AND THIS WAS, THESE ARE IMAGES FROM SOME OF THE FIRST, UH, WHAT WE CALL ROUNDS.
UM, BROTHER JESSE CALLED THESE ROUNDS BECAUSE, UM, WELL ACTUALLY CALLED IT THE FIRST ROUND, A DRIVE DRIVE-BY.
AND IT WAS A DOUBLE ENTENDRE DRIVE BY AND SEE ART BECAUSE PEOPLE WEREN'T NECESSARILY GETTING OUT OF THEIR CARS ON THE, YOU KNOW, ROUGHEST BLOCK IN HOUSTON, TEXAS TO SEE ART, BUT ALSO BRINGING ATTENTION TO THE DRIVE-BYS THAT WERE HAPPENING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO IT WAS THROUGH THOSE DRIVE-BYS AND THE ROUNDS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, TRADITIONALLY PEOPLE IN MUSEUMS CALL 'EM EXHIBITIONS, BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, WE INVITE ARTISTS TWICE A YEAR, ONCE IN OCTOBER AND, AND IN MARCH TO INSTALL WORKS IN AND AROUND THE HOUSES THAT INVOLVE LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THERE'S ALWAYS SOME SORT OF SOCIAL COMMENTARY, UM, WHETHER IT BE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BLACK LIVES MATTER OR, UH, CRITICAL RACE THEORY, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING FOR THE ARTIST TO RESPOND TO.
SO THESE ARE IMAGES OF VARIOUS ROUNDS.
AND DURING OUR ROUNDS, WE ALSO HAVE THESE COMMUNITY GATHERINGS WHERE WE ASK PEOPLE TO COME.
UM, WE HAVE MARKETS, WE INVITE VENDORS, WE HAVE PERFORMANCES, OF COURSE, THE ARTIST.
WE ALSO HAVE ARTIST RESIDENCIES.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE THREE ARTISTS SPACES THAT WE DO SUBSIDIZE, UH, RENT FOR THEM WITH THE AGREEMENT, THEY WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE THIRD WORD ART ECOSYSTEM.
WE HAVE FELLOWSHIPS THAT ENGAGE ARTISTS IN THE PRH MODEL FOR PRESERVING IDENTITY HISTORY, CULTURE.
UM, AND OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS, WE'VE ENGAGED HUNDREDS OF ARTISTS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIVES, UM, EXHIBITING TOGETHER IN WHAT WE CALL COMMUNITY ENGAGED ART.
AND THEN WE REALLY DO COLLAPSE THROUGH THESE FELLOWSHIPS, RESIDENCIES, ARTIST STUDIOS.
WE'RE COLLAPSING THE NOTIONS OF HIGH ART, LOW ART, THE OPERATING IN, OPERATING IN THESE CONCEPTS.
PRH HAS BEEN ABLE TO FOCUS ON THE IMPACT ART HAS HAD ON COMMUNITY AND EXPAND ITS VISION OF ART AS A CATALYST FOR SOCIAL CHANGE.
SO PORTUGAL HOUSES HAS EXPAND OUR NOTION OF ART REALLY INTO COMMUNITY.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE'RE ALWAYS RESPONDING TO WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO IN THE EARLY NINETIES WHEN THERE WAS A LOT OF, UH, THERE WERE A LOT OF TEENAGE MOTHERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE STARTED WHAT WE CALLED THE YOUNG MOTHERS RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM.
AND THROUGH THAT PROGRAM WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE A COHORT OF FIVE WOMEN.
AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING TO THE PROVERB, UH, AFRICAN PROVERB, IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A PEOPLE AND THEY'D GO THROUGH THIS, THIS TWO YEAR PROGRAM.
AND THEN AFTER THE PROGRAM, THEY WOULD OFTENTIMES HAVE TO LEAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FIND HOUSING THERE.
SO WHAT WE DID, AGAIN, WAS RESPOND.
AND THAT IS WHEN WE STARTED OUR CDC, UM, TO KEEP THESE WOMEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT ALSO PRESERVE WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THEN FROM THERE, WE ALSO STARTED, UH, PROJECT WHERE HOUSES PRESERVATION, WHICH KEEPING LEGACY RESIDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
SO WE FIXED UP SOME ROW HOUSES, UM, WITH LEGACY RE RESIDENTS, UM, MOVED THEM BACK IN AND SUBSIDIZE THEIR RENT.
SO OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND AGAIN, I ALWAYS GO BACK TO THE CALL AND RESPONSE BECAUSE WE DON'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY ASKING US TO DO IT.
SO WE DO HAVE FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS NOW EVERY FIRST AND THIRD.
UM, FRIDAYS WE'VE PARTNERED WITH TRINITY METHODIST CHURCH, WHICH IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM US TO, UM, DISTRIBUTE AGAIN, FOOD TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE ALSO PARTNERED WITH, UH, THE BREAD OF LIFE, AND WE GET WHAT WE CALL BEYONCE BOXES AND GIVE THEM TO THE COMMUNITY.
OH, ALSO, I GUESS I DIDN'T PUT THAT IN, BUT THROUGH, UM, ALSO OUR ROUNDS.
WE NOTICED THAT IN NORTHERN THIRD WARD THERE, NORTHERN THIRD WARD, THERE WAS A LACK OF SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO WE CREATED THE SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATION PROGRAM.
AND NOW WE HAVE FIVE BUSINESSES ON SITE, ONE BEING KINDRED STORIES, GULF COAST COSMOS, UH, ELLA'S VILLE.
AND THEN WHAT WE DO FOR YOUTH ART PROGRAMMING.
SO BACK WHEN PROJECT ROJAS STARTED, YOUTH ART PROGRAMMING WAS A HUGE PART.
[00:45:01]
UM, BUT IT ACTUALLY WAS PUT ON A MORATORIUM AS CHILDREN WERE MOVING OUT BACK, WELL OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.AND NOW WE'RE SEEING CHILDREN MOVE BACK INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO WE'VE INFUSED OUR NEW YOUTH ARTS PROGRAMMING.
WE HAVE SUMMER ART, WE HAVE, UM, FOR TWO WEEKS.
WE ALSO HAVE VIOLIN LESSONS, PIANO LESSONS, ART THERAPY, AND WE ARE HAPPY TO SAY WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
AND NOW WE'LL PROVIDE, UH, LITERACY AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING.
WE'RE ALSO, UM, THE FISCAL SPONSORS OF THE THIRD WARD CULTURAL DISTRICT.
UM, THIS WAS A DESIGNATION THAT WE RECEIVED IN 2021, UM, OR 2020, EXCUSE ME.
UM, WHERE WE HAVE DONE PROGRAMS LIKE OUR JUNETEENTH INITIATIVE, OUR JUNETEENTH KICKBACK, AS WELL AS SUPPORT ALL OF THE ASSETS, CULTURAL ASSETS WITHIN THIRD WARD.
THE HISTORIC EL DORADO BALLROOM.
WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED THE EL DORADO BALLROOM IN 1999 THROUGH A LONG-TERM LEASE.
AND IN 2021, WE BEGAN RENOVATIONS IN, UH, $9.7 MILLION RENOVATION.
AND IN 2023, WE WERE ABLE TO OPEN THE BUILDING AND RE-GIFTED BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORIC EL DORADO BUILDING, UM, IT WAS BUILT IN 19 90 19, 19 39, UM, BY ANNA AND CLARENCE DUPREE.
AND IT WAS REALLY THE SAVOY OF THE SOUTH.
SO ALL OF THE BIG NAMES THAT YOU THINK ABOUT THAT WOULD BE PERFORMING THEN WERE THERE.
SO ELLA FITZGERALD, DUKE ELLINGTON, DIZZY GILLESPIE, RAY CHARLES, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IT BACK TO ITS GLORY, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE ARE NOW OPERATING THE BUILDING AND HAVE SOME AMAZING PROGRAMMING COMING UP THIS YEAR.
SO PROJECT ROW HOUSES LAST YEAR TURNED 30.
SO WE'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS OUR MARK? UM, HOW ARE WE THINKING ABOUT PROJECT ROW HOUSES 30 YEARS OLD AND BEYOND? AND ONE WAY WE CONSIDER OURSELVES THE LARGEST SOCIAL SCULPTURE IN THE COUNTRY, AND WE WANNA PRACTICE PRESERVATION ELEVATION AND CELEBRATION.
SO HOW DO WE MAKE OUR MARK AND BECOME THE GOLD STANDARD OF SOCIAL SCULPTURE? AND THAT IS THROUGH OUR ARCHIVES AND PROJECT ROW HOUSES INSTITUTE.
NOW, BEFORE COVID PROJECT ROW HOUSES WAS WORKING ON BUILDING AN INSTITUTE WHERE PEOPLE COULD ACTUALLY COME AND STUDY OUR MODELS AND TAKE IT BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE ARE ALREADY MODELS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT THROUGH PROJECT ROW HOUSES.
UM, ONE IN GREECE, THERE WAS ONE IN DALLAS.
AND THEN ALSO WE'VE BEEN THE INSPIRATION OF MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE ART AND PRACTICE IN LA THAT'S RUN BY MARK BRADFORD OR THE ASTRO GATES PROJECT IN CHICAGO, THE LAUNDROMAT PROJECT IN BROOKLYN.
SO AGAIN, HOW CAN WE EXPAND OUR MODEL TO DIFFERENT CITIES? NEXT SLIDE.
AND THEN JUST WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW, WE WANNA INVITE YOU ALL TO OUR SOUTHERN SILVER BIENNIAL.
THIS IS THE SECOND BIENNIAL THAT WE'RE HAVING.
IT WAS CREATED OUTTA REALLY A RESPONSE TO ARTISTS FROM THE SOUTH, FEELING AS THOUGH THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO SHOW THEIR ARTWORK AND ALSO MONETIZING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WE INVITE SEVEN ARTISTS IN ALL AGAIN, LIVING AND WORKING FROM IN THE SOUTH, UM, SOUTH.
AND ONE ARTIST WILL RECEIVE A $25,000 PRIZE.
UM, WE HAVE A GUEST CURATOR, KIMBERLY GANTT, FROM THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM OF ART THAT IS HERE, AND SHE WILL BE SELECTING THE PRIZE WINNER.
UM, AND ALSO JUST ENCOURAGE YOU ALL, I MEAN, I THINK MARK SAID IT BEST, HOW CAN THIS COMMITTEE REALLY SUPPORT PROJECT ROWHOUSES? AND THAT'S THROUGH ADVOCACY, INVESTING AND CONVENING.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, DANIELLE.
UM, THAT COMPETITION THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, I'D LIKE TO GET MORE INFORMATION.
IS THERE A AGE LIMIT? NO, BECAUSE I, I HAVE A, A PERSON THAT I KNOW THAT IS A PHENOMENAL YOUNG ARTIST.
AND ACTUALLY IT'S A, UM, YOU CAN JUST SUBMIT PROPOSALS NOW.
THE PROPOSALS HAVE ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED AND THE ARTISTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN, UM, SELECTED, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE PLAN ON DOING EVERY OTHER YEAR.
AND IT'S, IT'S EXCITING BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WITHIN THE ART WORLD, ARTISTS FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO MOVE COASTALLY, RIGHT? UM, AND ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT THEIR LOCALITY.
AND IN ORDER TO HAVE THESE TYPE
[00:50:01]
OF OPPORTUNITIES, THEY HAVE TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE SOUTH OR, YOU KNOW, NEW YORK, LA BUT CREATING THESE OPPORTUNITIES REALLY KEEPS THEM IN PLACES LIKE THIS.AND ALSO EVEN ON A PLATFORM LIKE PROJECT ROW HOUSES THAT HAS SUCH INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION.
I MEAN, ARTISTS, UM, FROM OUR LAST ROUND OR BIENNIAL ONE ARTIST WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO QUIT HER JOB AND IS NOW DOING HER ART FULL-TIME.
YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN IMPRESSED WITH PROJECT ROW HOUSES AND RICK LOWE, AND I REMEMBER WHEN THEY REVITALIZED THOSE SHOTGUN HOUSES.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT A SHOTGUN HOUSE IS, THEY SAY YOU CAN SHOOT A BULLET IN THE FRONT DOOR AND IT'LL GO OUT THE BACK.
UM, BUT OF COURSE WE DON'T WANT THAT KIND ACTIVITY RIGHT.
GOING ON AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME.
NOT IN DISTRICT D
AND, AND OF COURSE, THE LAST TIME I SAW JESSE LOTT WAS MM-HMM
AT PROJECT ROWHOUSE AND PR PRIOR TO THAT IT WAS AT, UH, AT THE, UM, WHAT IS IT, FIFTH WARD IN FIFTH WARD, ABSOLUTELY.
BUT I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE EL DORADO BALLROOM.
UH, BACK IN THE DAY, DOWLING, WHICH IS NOW EMANCIPATION, WAS JUST A MECCA FOR BLACK BUSINESSES.
AND, UM, THE EL DORADO BALLROOM, I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE THIS, MY, MY PARENTS USED TO, UH, GET US A BABYSITTER AND THEY'D GO THERE AND SHAKE A TAIL.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON EVEN TODAY.
AND ACTUALLY BACK IN THE DAY, THERE WAS A BARBERSHOP THERE.
AND THEN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL RE YOU ALL KNOW KIRBY JOHN CALDWELL, BUT HIS DAD, BOOKER CALDWELL MM-HMM
AND ALL OF THE FAMOUS ACTS THAT WOULD COME TO TOWN WOULD GO AND THEY'D GET THEIR CLOTHES TAILOR MADE AT, UH, CALDWELL TAYLOR'S MM-HMM
AND THEN I'VE, I'VE BEEN TO A COUPLE OF ENGAGEMENTS RECENTLY AT THE EL DORADO BALLROOM, AND IT IS A FABULOUS VENUE.
I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE CATER OUT, BUT THE FOOD THERE IS SO GOOD AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T MISS ANY MEALS, SO I HAVE TO MENTION THAT AS WELL.
BUT JUST A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL VENUE AND I'M GONNA SEE IF COUNCIL MEMBER ALCO HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
AND REALLY JUST COMMENTS, LIKE, I'M TELLING EVERYBODY THIS, THIS COMMITTEE'S GREAT COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ.
I LOVE HEARING ABOUT ALL OF THIS AND ALL THAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY.
PROJECT ROWHOUSE IS A HOUSTON TREASURE.
I STILL LOVE THAT CANDY LOPEZ REMEMBER HER WITH THE, WITH THE YARN.
SHE'S THE ONE THAT WAS ABLE TO, SHE WON THE THING.
SHE DID NOT WIN, BUT SHE WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO QUIT HER JOB AND DO ARTICLE TIME.
OH, SHE WAS THE ONE THAT TOOK JOB.
WELL, SO WHEN I LEFT THAT THING, AND GEORGE REALLY, MY HUSBAND LITERALLY LOVED HIM TOO.
AND I WAS LIKE, I'M JUST GONNA REACH OUT TO HER ON INSTAGRAM.
AND I JUST TELL HER HOW MUCH I LOVE HIM.
SHE LIKE WROTE ME BACK AND I FELT LIKE, OH MY GOD, SHE WROTE ME BACK.
SOMEDAY I'M BUYING ONE OF THOSE CANDY LOPEZ SITUATIONS.
UM, BUT THAT WAS THE COOLEST THING.
AND, AND I'M GLAD THAT THE BIENNIALS COMING UP.
SO, AND THE EL DORADO'S GREAT.
AND, UM, JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING AND THANK YOU FOR JUST REITERATING WHAT EVERYONE SAID.
YOU NEED, UM, THE ART LOVERS AND, AND EVERYONE ON COUNCIL TO REALLY ADVOCATE FOR THE ARTS AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING, NOT JUST IN GIVING US A GREAT CULTURAL EXPERIENCE FOR, FOR WHAT YOU'RE PAYING FORWARD TO THE COMMUNITY, HOW YOU'RE HELPING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ARTS.
UM, I AM, I'M CERTAINLY GONNA CARRY THAT MESSAGE TO ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN.
SO THANKS FOR, THANKS FOR EVERYTHING.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM STAFF, FROM OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? OKAY.
WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH, DANIELLE.
OUR LAST PRESENTATION WILL BE JONES HALL AND WE WELCOME MEG BOOTH, CEO OF PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON, AND ROBERT EUBANK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE JONES FOUNDATION TO PRESENT ON BEHALF OF JONES HALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN STBA AND ALCORN AND STAFF MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK FOR THE CITY.
UM, ACTUALLY IF WE CAN START WITH THE FIRST PRESENTATION OR THE OTHER ONE, UM, OF PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON, IT KIND OF BUILDS INTO, UM, FOUNDATION FOR JOHNS HALL.
HOLD ON JUST A MINUTE, I HOPE.
AN OH OH, SO IT'S NOT THIS, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS.
ONE IS FOUNDATION FOR JOHNS HALL.
I'LL JUST GET STARTED AND CATCH UP WHENEVER, UM, WHENEVER IT STARTS.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, PERFORMING
[00:55:01]
ARTS HOUSTON IS A PRESENTER, UM, NOT A BUILDING.WE BRING ARTISTS FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD IN EVERY DISCIPLINE TO STAGES THROUGHOUT THE THEATER DISTRICT AND REALLY AROUND HOUSTON.
STARTING IN 2020, UM, WE LAUNCHED A COMMISSIONING PROGRAM TO SUPPORT HOUSTON ARTISTS.
AND IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, WE HAVE COMMISSIONED AND PRESENTED 25 NEW WORKS BY HOUSTON ARTISTS.
AND I REALLY HOPE IT COMES UP BECAUSE THIS WHOLE PRESENTATION IS GONNA BE SO WEIRD IF THERE'S NOT A VISUAL.
YEAH, IT'S, IT'S KINDA LIKE THE WIZARD OF OZ.
WHERE IS THAT PERSON BEHIND THE CURTAIN? LIKE IT'S NOT THIS ONE.
IT STARTS WITH THAT BIG BLACK JUST PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON LOGO ON THE FRONT.
NO, WHY DON'T WE, UM, TRANSITION AND, UM, AND WE CAN DO THE ONE ON FOUNDATION FOR JONES HALL.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOUNDATION FOR JONES HALL.
AND, UH, WE'LL SWITCH GEARS HERE.
AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT AN INVESTMENT THAT'S BEEN MADE IN A PRECIOUS CITY ASSET, AN INVESTMENT THAT WILL KEEP JONES HALL OPERATIONAL AND RELEVANT FOR DECADES TO COME.
BUT FIRST I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO THE FOUNDATION FOR JONES HALL IS.
UH, WE'RE A 5 0 1 C3 FOUNDED IN 1989 FOR A LARGE SCALE RENOVATION OF THE HALL THAT WAS EXECUTED IN THE MID NINETIES.
AFTER THAT, WE WERE CHARGED, UM, BY THE CITY WITH MAINTENANCE OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND BACKSTAGE SYSTEMS IN GENERAL.
FOUNDATION FOR JONES HALL IS LED BY A BOARD OF DIRECTORS FROM OUR RESIDENT COMPANIES PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON AND THE HOUSTON SYMPHONY.
MORE RECENTLY, IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, FOUNDATION FOR JONES HALL HAS TAKEN A LARGER ROLE IN THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF THE BACKSTAGE AND FUNCTIONS AS A SUPPORT ORGANIZATION FOR ALL USERS IN JONES HALL.
WE ARE CURRENTLY CONDUCTING A $60 MILLION CAPITAL CAMPAIGN WITH ABOUT 52 MILLION RAISED, AND WE ARE A GROWING ORGANIZATION WITH THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE THIS MORE ADVANCED FACILITY.
AND BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND TO HOUSTON FIRST AND TO HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN MAKING THIS PROJECT A REALITY.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT.
ALRIGHT, SO PROJECT GOALS, WE'LL START HERE.
WE WANTED TO IMPROVE PATRON EXPERIENCE.
WE WANTED TO IMPROVE ACOUSTICS.
WE WANTED TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND THE FLOW OF PEOPLE THROUGH THE BUILDING, UPGRADE TECHNOLOGY AND UPGRADE BACKSTAGE OPERATIONS, SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT JONES HALL OPENED IN 1966, AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF HEADROOM FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY.
SO DRILLING DOWN INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT, WHAT DID THE PROJECT SCOPE END UP BEING? UH, EXPANSION OF RESTROOMS AND IMPROVED ACCESS TO THEM.
THAT WAS A HOT BUTTON ITEM FOR PEOPLE IN JONES HALL.
UH, ADJUSTMENTS TO CIRCULATION AND MAXIMIZING THE USE OF PUBLIC SPACES IN THE HALL.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, JONES HALL IS A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.
UM, BUT THERE'S SOME, UH, INSTANCES OF FORM OVER FUNCTION AND, UH, THE SPACE THAT WE HAVE IS, UH, IS FINITE.
AND SO WE HAVE TO, WE REALLY WANTED TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT HOW WE USE THAT SPACE AND MAXIMIZE, UM, EFFICIENCY IN THE HALL.
EXPANSION OF THE MAIN LOBBY TIER FOR USE IS A SECONDARY EVENT SPACE.
AND I HAVE A PICTURE OF THAT THAT I'LL SHOW YOU IN A LITTLE WHILE.
UPDATING ACCESS AND PATRON AMENITIES TO MEET OR EXCEED A DA REQUIREMENTS.
UH, AGAIN, 1966 BEFORE THE AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT, UH, COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF ALL LIGHTING, AUDIO, AND VIDEO SYSTEMS. THIS WAS A HERCULEAN TASK.
UM, A LOT OF TECH TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED A LOT SINCE THE BUILDING OPENED AND, UM, IT WASN'T EVEN SORT OF AN OPTION TO INTRODUCE FIBER OR CATEGORY CABLE OR, UH, MODERN NETWORKS INTO THE BUILDING WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE AS IT WAS.
SO WE HAVE DRILLED A LOT OF HOLES INTO JOHNS HALL, UM, REPLACEMENT OF THE ORCHESTRA, PIT LIFTING EQUIPMENT AND REBUILDING THE ENTIRE DOWNSTAGE AREA.
AUTOMATION OF THE COUNTERWEIGHT FLY SYSTEM.
THIS IS THE SYSTEM THAT, UH, MANIPULATES SCENERY AND LIGHTING IN AND OUTTA THE STAGE HOUSE AND ALSO THE ORCHESTRA.
SHELL CEILINGS, RESHAPING SURFACES IN THE AUDITORIUM TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT TO ACOUSTICS.
REPLACE ALL SEATS IN THE AUDITORIUM AND IMPROVE SITE LINES BY ADJUSTING THE LEVELS.
COMPLETE REDESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW GREEN ROOM DONOR SPACE.
NEW STORAGE ROOMS ON BALCONY LEVEL IN A NEW CONTROL BOOTH ANNEX, COMPLETE RECONFIGURATION OF THE TEXAS SIDE OF THE HALL WITH NEW DRESSING ROOMS AND LOADING DOCK AND NEW AUTOMATED LIGHTING EQUIPMENT.
SO THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME, UM, IN 2020 UH, WE BEGAN THE PLANNING AND MOBILIZATION OF DESIGN TEAM.
UH, WE SETTLED ON FUNDRAISING STRATEGY AND ASSEMBLY OF OUR BUILDING COMMITTEE IN 2021.
[01:00:01]
WE WERE ABLE TO BEGIN WORK WITH PHASE ONE OF ACOUSTIC IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING RESHAPING THE WALLS ON STAGE AND IN THE HOUSE, AND NEW ORCHESTRA PITS.SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, UM, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO SHUT DOWN JONES HALL FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, UH, IN THE WAKE OF COVID RESIDENT COMPANIES AND ANYONE REALLY IN THE PERFORMING ARTS INDUSTRY WAS NOT LOOKING TO BE OUT OF THEIR BUILDING FOR MULTIPLE YEARS WHILE WE DID THIS WORK.
SO WE'VE HAD TO DO THIS IN PHASES WHERE WE MOBILIZE IN THE LATE SPRING.
WE WORK ALL SUMMER LONG, AND THEN WE DEMOBILIZE AND OPEN A, UH, SEASON IMMEDIATELY.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN A ROW IN 2022.
UH, MASSIVE ENABLING WORK PROJECTS.
THIS IS WHERE WE WENT TO, UM, DRILLING ALL THE HOLES IN THE BUILDING AND, AND CREATING A BACKBONE WHICH COULD BE USED FOR A FIBER OPTIC NETWORK, NEW COURTYARD LEVEL RESTROOMS, AND LOBBY WORK.
2023 WAS A REALLY BIG YEAR WITH PHASE ONE OF THE NEW SYSTEMS INSTALLED.
THE NEW ORCHESTRA SHOW NEW SEATS.
WE RESHAPED THE TIER IN THE HOUSE AND INSTALLED A NEW PA SYSTEM.
2024 COMPLETION OF NEW TECHNICAL SYSTEMS. ALL PATRON FACING PROJECTS ARE COMPLETE.
UH, THE GREEN ROOM AND THE FOUR STAGE REFLECTOR, WHICH I'LL SHOW A PICTURE OF, UH, ARE COMPLETE.
NEXT YEAR WILL BE THE FINAL SUMMER OF OUR WORK STAGE LEVEL DRESSING ROOMS AND LOADING DOCK, A DA UPDATES TO THE SEX TEXAS SIDE OF THE HALL.
AND THEN IN 2026, WE'LL FINISH ANY SCOPE, UH, OVERNIGHT DURING THE SEASON AND FINAL PUNCH LIST FOR THE PROJECT.
UH, THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN FROM OUR FIRST SUMMER AND IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE BREADTH AND SCOPE OF, OF WHAT WE DID IN THE BUILDING.
THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE MEZZANINE LEVEL IN JONES HALL, AND WE SCAFFOLDED THE ENTIRE ROOM ON BOTH SIDES SO THAT WE COULD, UM, REPLACE THE FINISHES ON THE WALL AND TO MAKE THEM MORE DENSE TO IMPROVE ACOUSTICS.
HERE'S A PICTURE FROM OF THE LOBBY, AND THIS IS THE NEW CONFIGURATION.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE THOSE TABLES ARE IN THE PHOTOGRAPH.
THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY STILL TAKEN DURING CONSTRUCTION, BUT THAT AREA THERE IS, IS NOW A SECONDARY PERFORMANCE SPACE.
IT'S, IT'S GOT, UH, CONNECTIVITY FOR LIGHTING AND SOUND SUPPORT, AND WE CAN DO PRE-SHOW, POST-SHOW CONS, UH, CONCERTS, UH, UH, PRESENTATIONS, UH, LECTURES, ANYTHING THAT MAY ENHANCE THE, THE CONCERT GOER OR THE PATRONS EXPERIENCE.
UM, AND GENERALLY RESHAPED THIS ENTIRE AREA HERE TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO GET AROUND JONES HALL.
THIS IS A PICTURE FROM THE FLY GALLERY.
SO THOSE PIPES THAT YOU SEE, THOSE ARE PART OF OUR NEW AUTOMATED FLY SYSTEM, WHICH IS A BIG IN, UH, IMPROVEMENT IN CAPABILITY AND SAFETY OF OUR FACILITY.
AND IT'S SUCH A STRIKING AND UNIQUE SPACE.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO SHARE A PHOTOGRAPH OF THAT.
NEXT, UH, THIS IS IN THE CEILING, UH, ABOVE THE AUDITORIUM.
UM, AGAIN, JUST ANOTHER PICTURE OF SOME OF THE, UM, BACK OF HOUSE PIECES OF JONES HALL THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK TO IMPROVE HOW IT FUNCTIONS.
NEXT, UM, THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE CONTRACTORS WORKING FOR HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION AS WE HAVE, UM, BEGUN WORK ON THIS PROJECT.
HOUSTON FIRST HAS BEEN A VALUABLE PARTNER WORKING WITH US ON SOME SCOPE PROJECTS OF THEIR OWN.
SO THE CUMULATIVE INVESTMENT IN JONES HALL IS EVEN LARGER THAN JUST WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
SO THIS SPACE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REDONE.
UM, IT WAS REALLY, UM, THE OLD ONE WAS KIND OF SMALL AND A LITTLE BIT OUT OF STEP WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE OF THE BUILDING.
AND SO AS WE MADE SOME CHANGES TO THE HALL, WE WERE ABLE TO ANNEX SOME LITTLE BIT OF SPACE HERE, A LITTLE BIT OF SPACE THERE, AND COMPILE IT INTO A LARGER DONOR SPACE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE STRIKING DESIGN OF THE CEILING, THE WALLS HERE.
YOU MAY NOTICE IF YOU'VE SPENT MUCH TIME IN JONES HALL, YOU KNOW, THIS DESIGN HONORS THE MID-CENTURY MODERN ARCHITECTURE OF THE BUILDING AND THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN VERY CAREFUL ABOUT IS, IS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AND TO MAKE THE BUILDING, UM, MORE SUSTAINABLE AND, AND VIABLE MOVING INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, BUT WE, WE DIDN'T WANT TO GO ABOUT CHANGING THE FEEL AND THE SPIRIT OF THE FACILITY.
AND THERE'S A FINISHED, THAT'S WHEN WE REOPENED IT.
ALRIGHT, NEXT FOUR STAGE REFLECTOR.
THIS IS A BIG PIECE OF, UM, THE ACOUSTIC IMPROVEMENT, ALSO LOGISTICAL IMPROVEMENTS.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DARK PHOTOGRAPH, I APOLOGIZE.
BUT YOU CAN START TO SEE HOW THESE, UH, PANELS WERE TO BE HOISTED UP TO COMPLETE THE FOUR STAGE PORTION.
SO THE PROSCENIUM LINE, EVERYTHING TO THE RIGHT OF THIS PICTURE IS ON STAGE.
EVERYTHING TO THE LEFT IN THIS PICTURE IS THE AUDIENCE CHAMBER.
AND THIS PIECE CONNECTS THOSE TWO WORLDS.
THERE IT IS, GOING UP INTO POSITION.
AND NEXT, NOW YOU CAN SEE THE COMPLETE STRUCTURE.
ALRIGHT, AND THEN I'VE JUST GOT TWO MORE PICTURES I'D LIKE TO SHARE.
SO BEFORE, THIS IS JONES HALL, LOOKS KIND OF DARK IN A LITTLE, LITTLE, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DINGY NEXT.
AND THIS IS OUR NEW STAGE WITH THE REFLECTOR, THE RESHAPED WALLS, THE NEW ORCHESTRA SHELL, THE FLOOR, THE LIGHTING, ALL OF THOSE,
[01:05:01]
ALL OF THOSE CHANGES TO THE BUILDING.DID HE LOOK OKAY? I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE READY THIS TIME.
WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, JUST TO SAY, THE MISSION OF PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON IS TO, AND YOU CAN DO YEP.
TWO, UH, IS TO CONNECT AUDIENCES WITH EXCEPTIONAL ARTISTS THROUGH DIVORCE PERFORMANCES AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES.
WHY DO WE DO THIS? BECAUSE THROUGH THE ARTS WE DISCOVER NEW UNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT OURSELVES.
WE CREATE COMMUNITY, INSPIRE DIALOGUE, AND ENRICH OUR WORLD.
AND WHERE ARE WE GOING? WE THROUGH DIVERSITY AND RELEVANCE, THROUGH EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION AND OPPORTUNITY, WE SUPPORT AND AMPLIFY THE VOICE OF THE ARTIST TO CREATE POSITIVE SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.
I ACTUALLY TODAY WANNA TAKE A LOOK BACK AT TWO HOUSTONIANS, UM, EDNA SAUNDERS AND JESSE H. JONES.
EDNA WAS HOUSTON'S FIRST AND REALLY THE SOUTH'S FIRST AND PREEMINENT AND PRIO.
JESSE H. JONES WAS A DEVELOPER.
HE WAS THE PORT'S EARLY CHAMPION DRIVER OF THE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY.
UH, HE WAS A VISIONARY WHO BELIEVED THAT HOUSTON COULD BE ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT CITIES, UH, BUT IT NEEDED A VIBRANT COMMUNITY, STRONG COMMERCE AND THRIVING CULTURAL SCENE.
UM, STARTING IN THE EARLY 19 HUNDREDS AND THROUGH THE 1960S, EDNA SAUNDERS, AS THE RIO WAS BRINGING ARTS AND CULTURE TO HOUSTON FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
WHERE DID SHE DO THAT? NEXT SLIDE? WELL, UM, RIGHT THERE AT THE CORNER OF TEXAS AND LOUISIANA, UM, BEFORE THE TURN OF THE CENTURY WAS THE WINNIE DAVIS AUDITORIUM, WHICH OF COURSE, UM, AS WE DO IN HOUSTON.
UM, THANK YOU HARRISON FOR STOPPING.
THAT, UH, WAS TORN DOWN FOR THE CITY AUDITORIUM, UM, IMPROVING ON THE WINNIE DAVIS AND OF COURSE, CITY AUDITORIUM, UM, WAS TORN DOWN TO MAKE ROOM FOR JONES HALL WHEN JESSE JONES, JESSE H. JONES MOVED TO HOUSTON IN 1898.
THERE WERE ROUGHLY 50,000 PEOPLE THAT LIVED IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE'RE WELL, MORE THAN 2 MILLION NOW.
UM, HE WANTED, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO BE A MILLION PEOPLE BEFORE HE DIED.
UM, BUT HE SAID WE NEED BUSINESS, WE NEED INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE NEED CULTURE.
THIS IS THE CITY, CITY SKYLINE.
IN 1956, THE YEAR THAT JONES DIED, UM, MOST OF THE TALL BUILDINGS THAT YOU SEE WERE BUILT, UM, BY JESSE JONES.
UH, BUT ONE GOAL HE DID NOT ACCOMPLISH IN HIS LIFETIME, WHICH HE SPOKE OF OFTEN, WAS TO BUILD A WORLD CLASS PERFORMANCE VENUE IN HOUSTON.
WE HAD PLENTY OF OTHER VENUES THAT SERVED MULTIPLE OTHER PURPOSES, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A WORLD CLASS.
SO IN STEPS, AND YOU'LL, UM, RECOGNIZE THIS ROOM, UM, IN STEPS, HIS NEPHEW JOHN T. JONES, AND HE GOT TO WORK REALIZING JESSE H JONES'S VISION FOR BUILDING A WORLD CLASS VENUE.
UM, THIS IS 1962 WHEN JOHN T. JONES CAME INTO THIS ROOM IN CITY HALL WITH A PROPOSAL FROM THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT, WHICH HE LED, UM, TO GIFT THE CITY OF HOUSTON JONES HALL.
LESS THAN A YEAR LATER IN 1963, EDNA SAUNDERS DIED.
AND WITH HER DEATH, HOUSTON'S PRESENTING ENTITY NO LONGER EXISTED.
AND SO JOHN T STEPS UP AGAIN TO FILL THAT VOID.
HE CREATED PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON.
IT WAS SPA AT THE TIME SOCIETY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.
UM, IT WOULD BE HOUSED IN THE SOON TO OPEN JONES HALL, UM, ALONG WITH THE SYMPHONY, THE OPERA, AND WHAT WAS AT THE TIME, A VERY FLEDGLING BALLET COMPANY.
IT IS OPENING NIGHT OF JONES HALL.
UM, THIS IS JOHN T ON THE RIGHT AND J JONES, WHO SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY ON THE LEFT IN THE PLAID.
UM, AND THEY'RE STANDING IN THE EDNA SAUNDERS GREEN ROOM ON OPENING NIGHT, UM, OF JONES HALL IN OCTOBER OF 1966.
JONES HALL WAS DESIGNED TO GLOW AT NIGHT.
UM, IT'S MARBLE, UM, OR TRAVERTINE WAS TAKEN FROM A QUARRY THAT IS IN ROME, UM, WITH STONES THROW FROM THE COLOSSEUM.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN AT THE COLOSSEUM, YOU WILL NOTE, UM, THAT IT REALLY IS THE SAME.
[01:10:02]
IT'S THE SAME TRAVERTINE, WHICH IS REALLY COOL.UH, PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON HAS BEEN A RESIDENT COMPANY OF JONES HALL SINCE IT OPENED, ALTHOUGH NOW WE PRESENT IN THEATERS.
UM, THE, ALL THE THEATERS OWNED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON WITHIN THE THEATER DISTRICT, MANAGED BY HOUSTON FIRST AND THEN MANY OTHER VENUES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, IN 2022, WE REMOVED THE WORD SOCIETY FROM OUR NAME AS AN INDICATION AND A COMMITMENT THAT ARTS ARE FOR EVERYONE.
UH, SLIDES 12 AND 13, YOU CAN JUST SCROLL THROUGH.
UM, TODAY, PERFORMING ARTS HOUSTON PRESENTS A LOT OF GREAT ARTISTS ANNUALLY.
UM, AND WE ARE PART OF A THRIVING, ARTISTIC, UM, ECOSYSTEM.
WE'VE HEARD LOTS OF FABULOUS PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
UM, AND THAT ECOSYSTEM IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS.
WE GENERATE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND WE CONTRIBUTE, UM, IN A CONTINUAL MANNER TO WHAT MAKES HOUSTON A WORLD CLASS CITY TO WORK, UH, LIVE AND VISIT.
AND THE VERY FINAL SLIDE, I WILL JUST POINT OUT, UM, OUR COMMITMENT TO, TO NEW NOW, UM, IN MARCH OF 2025, THAT'S OUR, UH, PRESENTING AND COMMISSIONING SERIES WHERE WE HIGHLIGHT THE VOICES OF HOUSTON ARTISTS AND PRESENT THEM ON STAGE IN THE THEATER DISTRICT.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELKHORN, DID YOU HAVE A JUST SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD? GREAT JOB, GUYS.
UM, IT'S GREAT HEARING ABOUT IT.
THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE BEAUTIFUL.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE PICTURES.
IT WAS FUN TO SEE THE, UH, THE WAY THAT IT PROGRESSED AND GREAT PROGRAMMING.
UM, Y'ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
GO HOUSTON, GO PERFORMING ARTS
ANY STAFF MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS? WELL, THANK YOU FOR THIS WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
NOW WE ARE PART AT THE PART WHERE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE MADE AND WE HAVE ONE REGISTERED PUBLIC SPEAKER SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
AND THAT'S LOTUS BERMUDA OF THIRD CLAY COAST.
UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO, UH, SHARE TODAY.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THE GROWING CERAMICS ARTS IN THE HOUSTON AREA.
I'M A NATIVE TO THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA, A MASTER CERAMIC.
I'VE BEEN WORKING IN CLAY IN HOUSTON FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS NOW.
UM, I'VE WORKED ON THREE CIVIC PROJECTS WITH THE SPARK PARK PROGRAM AT LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
THIS IS MY HUSBAND, TINA BERMUDA.
HE IS A CERAMICS COMMUNITY CULTIVATOR, UM, HELPING CERAMIC ARTISTS AND CLAY ARTISTS FOR OVER 15 YEARS.
UM, AND TOGETHER WE OWN THIRD COAST CLAY.
UH, WE ARE THE LARGEST MINORITY AND ARTIST OWNED AND RUN COMMUNITY CLAY STUDIO IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, WE ARE IN DISTRICT H, LOCATED IN THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS AREA.
UM, WE ARE CELEBRATING AND OFFERING, UM, INCLUSIVE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE CERAMIC ARTS, PROMOTING THE LOCAL CREATIVE COMMUNITY DRIVING TOURISM FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE AND COUNTRY AND NOURISHING ARTS PARTNERSHIPS FOR OVER 11 YEARS.
UM, THIRD COAST IS PROUD TO SUPPORT DOZENS OF LOCAL PROFESSIONAL CLAY ARTISTS TO INSTRUCT OUR CMIC CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS.
WE ARE FISCALLY SPONSORED THROUGH THE NON-PROFIT, UH, FRESH ARTS AND THROUGH THEM, UM, ACCEPT TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR YOUTH AND, AND TEENS AND EMERGING ARTISTS.
UM, WE ARE, UH, BEEN SPONSORS AND CONTRIBUTING AND WORKING WITH EMPTY BOWLS HOUSTON FOR NEARLY 19 YEARS, WHICH GIVES A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE MONEY BACK TO THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK.
UH, WE HAVE A HISTORIC GOAL, UH, CERAMIC DISPLAY AT KING TUTS, UH, FUNERAL CACHE OF THE, UH, HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE IN THE KING TUT EXHIBITION.
UM, ONE OF OUR CERAMICS INSTRUCTORS ACTUALLY HAS A CERAMIC PIECE AT MEOW WOLF, UM, THAT'S OPENING UP SOON.
UH, WE HAD A SUMMER CERAMICS EXHIBITION AT THE, WITH THE, THROUGH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, A CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN THE CITY HALL OF ROTUNDA COMING UP.
AND SO I JUST, OH YEAH, THAT WAS IN THIS PAST SUMMER.
UM, THAT WAS IN THE CITY HALL OF ROTUNDA.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO TO TAKE A COUPLE MOMENTS OF YOUR TIME JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE OF
[01:15:01]
ALL THE CERAMIC ARTS, UM, THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE HAPPENING IN AROUND THE CITY THAT REALLY, UM, IS PART OF THE HOUSTON ARTS ECOSYSTEM.UH, COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME, SIR AND YOU CAN MAKE A COMMENT? MY NAME, MY NAME IS TINO BERMUDA.
I'M THE OTHER HALF OF THIRD COAST CLAY.
UM, SORRY, MY NAME IS TINO BERMUDA.
I'M THE OTHER HALF OF THIRD COAST CLAY.
AND, AND A LOT OF THINGS LISTENING TODAY WAS REALLY GREAT TO HEAR.
SO, SO, SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE BRINGING UP FROM THESE DIFFERENT, UH, PLACES.
AND ONE OF THE, OUR GOALS FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TO MAKE HOUSTON A CERAMIC MECCA.
I MEAN, WE'RE THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY AND OUR CERAMICS EXISTENCE IN THE ARTS IS REALLY SMALL.
SO WE WANNA CHANGE THAT AND WE'RE TRYING TO PARTNER WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS THE CITY TO EXPAND AND TO ELEVATE THE MEDIUM.
SO THAT'S WHAT US COMING HERE TODAY ABOUT IS TO KIND OF LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CITY SIDE OF THIS.
SO HOW, HOW WE CAN EXPAND TOGETHER AS A PARTNERSHIP.
I HAVE A COMMENT FROM OR QUESTION FROM THE STAFF MEMBER FOR COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, YOU'RE THE COACH HERE.
I'M WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S OFFICE.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING AND SPEAKING AND IT'S NICE KNOWING THAT YOU GUYS ARE LOCATED IN DISTRICT AGE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO GET Y'ALL'S INFORMATION SO WE CAN CONNECT YOU GUYS WITH OTHER NONPROFITS AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT WE WORK WITH IN THE COMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO PROMOTE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE GOING ON.
WE HAVE A NEWSLETTER THAT GOES OUT BIWEEKLY, SO, AND THAT WAY I CAN TAKE IT BACK AND SHOW COUNCIL MEMBER AS WELL.
AND IF YOU COULD GET SOME INFORMATION TO MY OFFICE AS WELL.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS OR THOSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? OKAY, WELL, UM, THE NEXT ARTS, I'M SORRY, SOMEBODY WANTS TO SPEAK.
OH, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME.
I PROBABLY SIGNED UP FOR THIS, BUT
HI EVERYONE, MY NAME IS OLIVIA
I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING QUITE A FEW OF THESE SESSIONS.
I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT TODAY'S FOCUS IS ON ARTS AND CULTURE BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, I DO SEE THE DIVERSITY, UM, ON THE STREETS, RIGHT? BUT WHEN IT COMES TO ART AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE PRESENTATION OF ART, I DON'T REALLY SEE IT REFLECTED WHEN IT COMES TO THE INSTITUTION.
SO TODAY TO HEAR THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO SORT OF FOSTER THE ART COMMUNITY AT A LOCAL LEVEL IS VERY EXCITING.
WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, THE ONE ELEMENT THAT I THINK IS MISSING IS THAT I'M FROM NOW A LOW SOCIOECONOMIC STRATA IN THE SENSE THAT I'M DESTITUTE.
I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF THROUGH THE LENS OF ART WE WERE ABLE TO INCORPORATE THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY.
AND SO FAR AS THERE ARE FREE NIGHTS AT CERTAIN ART MUSEUMS, WHERE I WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DISPARATE MEMBERS OF THE MUSEUMS, WITH THE DISPARATE MEMBERS OF LIKE LIBRARY STAFF.
SO I'M GOING TO THE SPACES WHERE ART IS PRESENT, BUT I THINK THAT WHEN IT COMES TO ART ENGAGEMENT, I THINK THAT IT WOULD, TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH THE HOMELESS, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE IF THERE WERE PROGRAMS DESIGNED WHERE WE'RE BRINGING, YOU KNOW, A COMMUNITY ORIENTED THING.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE MILLER THEATER, WHICH DOES HAVE FREE PROGRAMS, BUT A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS ARE RELUCTANT TO SIGN UP BECAUSE OF TRANSPORTATION OR BECAUSE THERE IS A CHOICE OFTENTIMES THAT PEOPLE ON THE STREETS MAKE BETWEEN HAVING A MEAL AND LIKE GOING TO SEE A PERFORMANCE.
AND SO TO, AND I THINK THAT IT WOULD ALSO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE ON THE STREETS AS WELL, TO HAVE SOME SORT OF PROGRAM WHERE LIKE PEOPLE ARE SHUTTLED IN AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DAY ALLOCATED TO THE EXPOSURE OF ART, THE ENJOYMENT OF, OF SOMETHING OTHER THAN JUST LIVING ON THE STREETS.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE SUGGESTION THAT I HAVE THROUGH THE LENS OF ACQUISITION AND, AND THROUGH A CURATORIAL LENS, IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING 'CAUSE I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF TRAVERSING THE WORLD.
AND SO I'VE SEEN A LOT OF ART IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT CITIES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE ONE MUSEUM THAT I'VE GONE TO, WHICH SEEMS TO BE AN AGGREGATE, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A WAR TOOK PLACE.
WE'VE ACQUIRED ONE PIECE OF ARTWORK FROM LIKE EACH MAJOR ARTIST, BUT THERE ISN'T THIS, UM, I DON'T SEE ENOUGH PRESENCE WHEN IT COMES TO ARTISTS THAT ARE AT A LOCAL LEVEL, LIKE REFLECTING THE LOCAL CULTURE AT THAT MUSEUM.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL WHEN
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IT COMES TO OUR ARTS PROGRAM.SOMEBODY MENTIONED HAMILTON, RIGHT? I THINK IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF LIKE THERE WERE ORGANIC, UH, LIKE LOCAL ART SCENES.
I KNOW IN THE, WE LIVE IN A TIME OF PROTEST, RIGHT? WE LIVE IN A TIME OF LIKE A LOT OF SOCIAL CHANGE IN ITALY WHEN THIS TOOK PLACE, RIGHT IN THE 1960S AND AND FIFTIES, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS.
THERE WERE A LOT OF ARTISTS THAT TOOK TO THE STREETS THAT STARTED TO PERFORM, YOU KNOW, AT A, AT A LOCAL LEVEL.
AND I THINK THAT THIS CITY, GIVEN ITS, UM, TOPOGRAPHY AND GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF MURALS AND GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF LIKE GRAFFITI THAT'S PRESENT ON THE WALLS, IT LENDS ITSELF TO HAVING ART NOT JUST BE RESTRICTED TO THESE CONFINED SPACES THAT WE'VE TRADITIONALLY WORKED IN.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE DONE IT EFFECTIVELY.
IT WOULDN'T COST THE CITY A DIME EVEN.
IT WOULD ACTUALLY ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ARTISTS WITHIN THE CITY TO, IN AN ATYPICAL FASHION, PRESENT THEIR ARTWORK.
AND PERHAPS IT MAY BRING IN PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
SO THE THING ABOUT BEING DESTITUTE IS THAT I DON'T HAVE THE TRAVEL FLEXIBILITY TO GO FROM LIKE CENTER CITY TO OUTSIDE.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR REACHING THE ART COMMUNITY IS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR REACHING THESE KINDS OF DISCUSSIONS ARE.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF LIKE WE STARTED TO THINK RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE CENTER AND STARTED TO EXPAND IT.
UM, I THINK YOU HAVE SOME VERY GOOD SUGGESTIONS, UH, AND YOU HAVE ARTICULATED THEM VERY WELL.
UH, PERHAPS YOU COULD REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE AND WE CAN SEE IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO MOVE THAT FORWARD OR, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST SEE WHAT WE CAN DO REGARDING THAT.
AND I DO APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND, AND MAKE SURE YOU GIVE HIM YOUR INFORMATION BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SPEAK.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OH, I'M SORRY.
UM, EACH YEAR MOCA PUBLISHES AN ANNUAL CIVIC ART PROGRAM ACTIVITY REPORT AS WELL AS AN EQUITY REVIEW OF THE CITY'S CIVIC ART COLLECTION.
AND BOTH OF THOSE REPORTS WILL BE PROVIDED TO COUNSEL AND ACCESSIBLE ONLINE FOR THE, FOR THE PUBLIC'S REVIEW NEXT WEEK.
AND THAT'S A MESSAGE FROM, UH, NICOLE IRVIN, THE DIRECTOR OF MOCA.
AND IF, UH, BEFORE WE ADJOURN, PLEASE MAKE NOTE THAT THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER THE 13TH AT 2:00 PM WE THANK ALL OF THE SPEAKERS AND PRESENTERS.
WE CERTAINLY THANK, I'M SORRY, WEDNESDAY TYPO WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER THE 13TH,
AND SO IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.