Today we’d like to introduce you to Holly Van De Vate.
Holly, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Secret Shows really started in a casual conversation with a friend a few years ago. We were discussing all of the great local musicians in Knoxville and how it would be nice if there were more opportunities for the community to see them.My friend knew someone who was connected in the music scene who had a similar thought and connected us. From there, we connected with Sylvie and Timothy Edward Carpenter and what at the time was Lox Salon to host our first ever Secret Show Knox. We wanted to highlight both the artists and some of the small businesses and community spaces that we are lucky to have in our community. Chris Hill was a great thought partner and helped me get the first couple of shows off the ground. So far, we have hosted five incredible shows with incredible talent. The goal is to bring the community together at a place they may have not visited before and connect them with artists and music in a relaxed environment.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I am really fortunate to have supportive friends and family who have helped make this happen. Secret Shows Knox is something that I am passionate about continuing, but making the financials work to pay artists has been my biggest challenge. It has been harder to find grants than I anticipated, but I am not giving up yet! I want to curate an experience for the audience that showcases the artist and their music in a location that best suits them and one of the things that I have most enjoyed about this journey is working to get the ambiance right.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am really proud of my work at Secret Shows Knox and it is something that I hope to continue to grow. As a Knoxville native and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, my love of the community runs deep and I hope to continue to build up the artists and small businesses here. When I was at UT, I majored in sustainability and I want to find a way to merge that interest into my work at Secret Shows Knox and any other events I showcase. East Tennessee has such a beautiful landscape and ecosystem. We are lucky to be so close to the Great Smoky Mountains and I’d like to find more ways to help protect and preserve the natural beauty in our area and show that everyone can be a part of the solution to a more sustainable living.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My biggest advice is to reach out to the community! You do not have to do this alone and with the help of others, you can find networks and resources that you did not even know existed. Knoxville is such a unique place where everyone is willing to help another small business. We love to support each other.
Pricing:
- tickets 20-25 / One of my main goals is to keep it affordable!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/secretshowsknox
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretshowsknox/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092431605548
