Houston Arts and Media Launches to Promote Local Education and History

Houston, TX - June 12, 2006 - Houston Arts and Media has been granted public charity status to pursue their mission of employing Houston writers, film makers and media artists to produce a wide array of worthwhile educational and historical films, videos and books.

Founded by longtime local stage, radio and television performer, Mike Vance, and Houston writer, Laurie Feinswog, Houston Arts and Media has been busy even in advance of last month's official granting of tax-exempt 501(c)(3) approval. They have already begun shooting on Stand Up Story, a documentary about the history of Houston stand-up comedy. Another project that is well under way is The Career Library, a program which creates compelling and informative videos about real career options for teens considering college and the work force, and then donates the resulting DVDs to high school libraries, community colleges and vocational centers.

On the history front, Houston Arts and Media's focus will be strictly local. Board President, Mike Vance, a Houston native, said that he hopes their plan for an extensive menu of Houston history books and documentaries will help create a new wave of interest in the story of our city's past. Neighbor to Neighbor, a project to gather oral histories from across all of Houston's older communities, has already begun. The resulting transcripts will be used to produce a series of at least 20 individual neighborhood history books, as well as other volumes on Historic Houston Schools, Historic Houston Churches and the like.

There is also a documentary in the works on Historic Houston Beer Joints and Saloons, a project which has already drawn cooperation from an UH architecture professor who has her students researching the architectural aspects of similar businesses.

Vance and Feinswog say that the response to Houston Arts and Media's ideas has been uniformly positive, and the board members plan to continue to build on their ambitious agenda.

About Houston Arts and Media:
Houston Arts and Media's purpose is to produce educational and historical film, video and books. The work will be done by members of Houston's creative, educational, research and production communities. Houston Arts and Media is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization.

# # #