Roni Cabrera saves her nonprofit art studio by transforming her childhood home into a creative hub.
HOUSTON — When a local nonprofit art studio in north Houston faced closure due to rising rent, founder Roni Cabrera didn’t give up — she got creative.
Cabrera, the founder of Art in the Heart, had been running summer art camps for children out of a rented space. But when her landlord raised the rent significantly, the nonprofit could no longer afford to stay.
Faced with the possibility of shutting down, Cabrera instead opened the doors to something even more personal: her own home.
“We had to ask ourselves, what do we still have?” Cabrera said. “And the answer was, we have my house.”
That house, the same one Cabrera grew up in, she transformed into a working studio, opening her doors to more than two dozen students, teen counselors and even college interns from the University of Houston.
Colorful murals line the walls. Laughter fills the rooms. In the backyard, small art cottages serve as creative spaces for painting, sculpting and crafting.
“I decided to use what I do have to give back to my kids and community,” she said.
The decision came as a relief to many parents in the neighborhood, including Elvia Gonzalez, who had been unsure where to send her daughter for summer camp.
“I thought I’d have to quit my job,” Gonzalez said in Spanish. “It’s amazing what she’s doing. Not everyone would bring children into their home like this.”
Ten-year-old Aracely Mejía said she feels lucky to be part of the program.
“A lot of people in the world aren’t as kind as she is,” Mejía said.
Cabrera said her work is far from over. She sees the space not just as a temporary fix but as a permanent community art hub.
“When you plant a seed, you can’t just walk away,” she said. “I wouldn’t feel right giving up on this.”
What started as a mobile “art bus” has now evolved into something more rooted and lasting — a homegrown solution serving an entire neighborhood. With the help of grants, volunteers, and donations, the house continues to grow.
“I want this to be an art compound,” Cabral said.
If you want to help Art in the Heart, click here.