042817_CM_BlackHouse from TCU Student Media on Vimeo.
A home located outside of downtown Fort Worth is hard to miss, as its exterior is painted completely black.
Noel and Sara Viramontes use their unique home as a way to support Fort Worth artists, filmmakers and musicians.
The family calls their home the Black House. On most weekends, they host events to showcase local, creative work, attracting nearly 300 people.
“We’ve always wanted to create a cool platform for people that can’t get into bigger galleries, but are still super talented,” Noel said.
The family said they hope to continue expanding the Black House in order to accommodate 500 to 1,000 guests.
The Viramontes’ said they have seen similar venues in Los Angeles, New Orleans and Nashville, but wanted to bring the concept to Fort Worth.
“There’s not a place like that in Fort Worth, so we’ve always wanted to bring that back to our city,” Noel said. “Even more, we wanted to make it like a Fort Worth – like a Fort Worth flavor.”
Sara said the Black House represents a warm and comfortable event venue for local artists.
Gabriel Moore, a photographer from Fort Worth, displayed his work for the first time at the Black House.
“I came here and it was inviting. It was different. It was really edgy,” he said. “For someone like me, that’s never been out to see a lot of photography, other than my own, it was something that I really appreciated.”
Meredith Noles, a fashion designer, agreed with Moore.
“I have not been in a house, in a space that quite has this level of warmth and community support – especially with arts and creative talent,” she said.
Sara said the Black House’s goal is for it to feel like home to those who participate in events.
“We’ve learned to be able to host so everyone feels like it’s a welcoming place and they haven’t walked into a stranger’s house, because I guess technically it is,” she said. “But we want to provide a sense of comfort and welcoming for our guests.”
Noel was comfortable buying the house in this neighborhood because he was raised nearby. The family lives in the house with their three children and two dogs.
The house was built in 1915 and the Viramontes’ purchased it in 2011. They spent five years renovating the house.
The Black House is booked every weekend until June and is also holding a play this summer.
The Black House is located at 1105 E. Peach St. Admission into the house varies between $10 and $15.
Visit the website to book the house or locate upcoming events.