Art House Tulsa has helped hundreds of artists display their work through 10 locally-focused art shows, but the organization’s future direction is in flux.
Now in its fifth year, Art House is grappling with the exit of its co-director, a lack of long-term funding, its main director balancing a day job and the possibility of losing its studio space in a year.
Co-founder and director Rogelio Esparza is paving a path forward for the east Tulsa-based organization as his close friend and co-founder Allison Ward takes a step back. Ward is pursuing a degree in Chicago and is now on its board of directors, rather than working on daily matters.
Ward’s decision prompted them to have an honest conversation about the organization’s future and how Esparza can continue its mission of nourishing artists and connecting them to the community.
“I really hope that in the future, Art House Tulsa can get funding in a way that takes it to the next level,” she said.
The organization will have to find stable funding sources and determine how to be more intentional about their work to take it to that next level, Esparza said. Art House Tulsa has been self-sufficient for most of its existence by charging entrance fees for its last few shows and accepting donations.
In 2024, the organization received a $45,000 accelerator grant from the George Kaiser Family Foundation. This allowed Art House to complete its biggest show ever, pay artists more for their work and gave Esparza and Ward enough funds to pay themselves.
The organization is still searching for more long-term financial support. Art House Tulsa also faces losing its studio space due to planned construction next year at Elevate East, a neighborhood coalition created by GKFF to support east Tulsa growth. A number of community groups share space at 1801 S. Garnett Road, next to Hannah Hall.
Esparza, who also works at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, said when the organization was founded, they were simply having fun and showcasing local work without determining the intention and impact of each show.
“After the tenth show, we realized that we were doing the same thing over and over again. We’re, like, ‘dude, we’re just asking artists to bring their work and put them on walls,’” Esparza said. “After a while, it becomes very repetitive … we get burnt out.”
Beyond setting clearer intentions for shows, the organization has recently expanded to hosting workshops and creating an artist residency program. Studio 1801 is a collaboration between Art House and Tulsa artist VNICE World to provide a space for artists and the community to connect.
Miguel Rodriguez is one of four artists in residency this summer. He was initially skeptical and nervous to apply since it would be the first time he placed his art out there for people to see. As he wraps up his time at Studio 1801, he said sharing a space with artists like Esparza and VNICE World has been beneficial for him as an up-and-coming artist.
He always felt he needed an organization like Art House while he was growing up in the eastside.
“I think community is a huge thing and I see that the work is being put in, it’s just a matter of it to like, kind of grow,” he said.
Esparza remains hopeful that Art House Tulsa will find its way to continue despite challenges they’re facing.
“We’ll exist with or without a budget,” Esparza said. “We’ll always be doing things for artists, community, in any capacity, but each year may be different … There may be a year where we do a lot, maybe there’s years we don’t do much.”
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This article was produced as part of a partnership between the Tulsa Flyer and La Semana, a Tulsa-based bilingual Spanish-English newspaper serving Latino communities in Oklahoma.
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