We at World House believe things should be done a little differently.

Culture seems stuck, the economy is collapsing, and more and more art, music and innovation are in the hands of corporations and not in our own.

A great many of us pragmatically chose to prepare ourselves mainly for economic viability – after all, these are increasingly tight times. We took a law degree when we are drawn to sculpture. We may have the next revolution in agricultural technology in our mind but we chose the security of a corporate chemical engineering job instead. It, after all, offers a degree of security and benefits.

But it does not benefit the rest of us.  Our culture has been strangely static in the past couple of decades – innovative thinkers tend to float upwards toward the corporate structure, and at the same time there seem to be fewer outlets than ever for individual expression.

An inert culture flows top-down. A dynamic culture springs from the bottom-up.

One of the reasons for our top-down world is that a great many would-be innovators or commentators are silenced due to low socioeconomic status or a poor education. Most of us are simply not able to take time off work or even purchase supplies to realize our Great Project.

Another is the fact that science, which should stimulate growth and innovation, has grown increasingly rigid and restricted. A peer committee decides what discoveries enter the public arena. Without a PhD, it is nearly impossible to have a scientific finding published, much less regarded as legitimate.

In addition, the idea of mentors and apprentices seems to be regarded as archaic, and is practiced only on the smallest of scales, in very particular environments. Yet we believe firmly that the notion is still sound, widely practicable, and more importantly, key to our project.

World House seeks to bring together, one-on-one, artists and innovators with mentors and investors.

We seek to find those with well-developed ideas that could potentially contribute to the social good, but for whatever reason have been unable to complete their project: everyone from the painter unable to afford canvases to someone who cannot cover travel costs for a documentary they want to make.

There are many with a voice, but they need help getting that voice heard. It is vitally important that we give that to them, provide them with what they need to make a change in our world, however small.

Many of those already successful in business and art were not born rich or connected – they got started with seed money from family, an important introduction, a freak stroke of luck that landed their work in the right hands. Sometimes all people need is that little boost to become successful.

We are looking for people to give that little boost back to others.

Please enjoy our site. If you have any questions or any ideas how we can help our foundation grow, feel free to email jen (at) worldhouse.org or ryan (at) worldhouse.org.