Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeannette Waldie.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jeannette. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have always had a passion for music and writing. Little did I know, that eventually, this lifelong passion would lead to the founding of a non-profit, Visionary Heights, that serves as a space for the creative arts. It all started in 2013, when I fell in love with and rented a Boho-style ground-floor loft here in the Historic Heights. The space was much bigger than I really needed and I wondered what to do with the extra space. Then friends suggested our main room was perfect for an art show and I went to my first house concert. Those two ideas sparked the vision of hosting a house concert with a pop-up art show that would become signature to the collaborative spirit of Visionary Heights. Our first event was in September 2014 and quickly led to more. Last year we hosted 35 events, working with more than 35 artists and musicians. This year we expanded our art shows to be for a whole month and will be hosting three events or more a month.
I realized there was a need for an art gallery and listening room that helped artists and musicians develop their skills to make a living successfully. So, in 2015, with a fantastic group of friends, I established Visionary Heights, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization.
We feature amazing but unknown local visual artists. I love seeing the response their art gets and all have had highly successful shows. We also host local musicians and introduce musicians from around the world to the Houston audience. The musicians love to play at Visionary Heights. Our listening room has incredible acoustics and provides a space for musicians to play music they often don’t’ get the chance to perform. The audience loves the experience of being able to have a real conversation with both the artists and the musicians.
The true magic of our space is how we’ve become a valued community space that sparks collaboration between visual artists and musicians, as well as musician to musician. Our monthly “Gatherin’ is a perfect example. This monthly song, poetry and storytelling circle allows performers to listen and learn from each other, as well as play together. It has been incredible to watch many of our regulars gain the confidence to start performing professionally. Over 40% of the musicians who play here ask to come back to play again. Visual artists have contributed to the space with a permanent loan of their art and with two incredible murals.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Running a non-profit that is a 100% volunteer organization can be a challenge. Time is a premium because all our volunteers either have regular jobs or are working musicians or artists. We focus on growing organically, as resources develop.
We have also had the challenge of finding our place in Houston’s busy art and music scene, so we have trouble getting the word out about our events. The music we have is incredible, so we need to educate our audience that they can discover their next favorite musical artist at one of our concerts. Funding, of course, is always a challenge. I am proud of what we’ve accomplished with our shoe-string budget, but to grow our program we need to increase our budget. This year we have a corporate-sponsorship drive in progress to raise funds. These funds will help us make improvements, such as better lighting, repainting the walls, and installing an art hanging system.
Please tell us about Visionary Heights.
Visionary Heights, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) Non-Profit Organization (NPO). Our vision is to become a full-service business incubator for the creative arts. We provide events, programs, and services to help aspiring and professional artists make a real living at what they love and offer a fun space for the public to have an outlet for their creative expression.
We serve as a private art gallery and listening room. The space is available to rent for private events or for rehearsals. We can accommodate up to 30 people, depending on the event.
“This is a place we can come and share our true art and the things that come from our hearts and our minds and our guts. This is a place where we cannot just share it but collaborate and add to each other’s art, songs, stories, and poems. It is the most important thing for an artist to have a place to like that. That is why Visionary Heights matters to Houston.” RyanAdam Wells, Alternative Country Singer Songwriter & Vaudeville Comedian
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I’m happy how things have evolved with Visionary Heights. I do realize that having a board member or other resources with experience in fundraising would have helped us gain a better financial footing. But, we now have the resources we need to effectively start a creative corporate sponsorship program.
Pricing:
- Concerts – Free with a suggested donation of $10 to $20
- Rehearsal Space Rental – $15.00 hour
- Space Rentals – $75.00 hour
Contact Info:
- Address: 1331 Nicholson Street
Houston, TX 77008 - Website: visionaryheights.com
- Phone: 832.530.4456
- Email: visionaryheights@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visionaryheights/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VisionaryHeightsInc/
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/VisionaryHeights/
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