During my time covering the Houston music and art scene, I’ve encountered two types of people: the artists and the spectators. The artists come in many forms, from musicians to dancers, to filmmakers and comedians. Each artist is a brilliant representative of their respective craft. While there are few Houston-based artists who go on to achieve national or global fame, they all have the same passion.
The spectators embody something quite similar – pride. Pride for their friends who play in a local band, pride for their neighbor whose written work was recently published, pride for their city. Houston. A city, they say, that is immensely overlooked and under appreciated. They argue that we have an insanely good arts scene, better than other large cities.
I know this because I am a spectator. I beam with pride when my friends put out new music, when they’re featured on a national stage. I advocate for my scene, and assert that we have a spectacular arts community, in fact, better than most.
In reality, we have a long way to go. The criteria by which we appreciate various art forms is, like our city, diverse: this is real music, this is comedy gold, this drawing is breathtaking. Understanding our relationship with Houston and the conundrum of the “underrated” art scene begins with learning to appreciate the artists who inhabit this city. Finding the beauty in various art forms also allows us to understand the predicament of what it means to be a modern artist.
What I hope to achieve with this podcast series is for you, the listener and fellow art lover, to go out and catch a show, discover local music, visit an art gallery, buy local art, attend an improv showcase, listen to local podcasts, support our scene.
In the meantime, I hope you’ll follow along as I interview some of Houston’s vibrant talent and explore what is currently inspiring their craft.
If you know a local musician, dancer, comedian, photographer, filmmaker, writer, chef, fashion designer, or anyone who devotes themselves to art, send them my way!
With love,
C.