Envision to Be Featured on National TV News Show Reaching Millions

It is not a common occurrence for Envision marketing and leadership staff to get a call from a national TV news producer inquiring about an opportunity to get featured on their show that reaches millions of people. In fact, it is believed that the only time Envision has been included on a national TV show within the last ten years is when a story went viral about a goose who laid eggs in the Envision Child Development Center playground resulting in canceling outdoor play for the children for several months. Needless to say, this feature opportunity has everyone excited about the extraordinary potential to increase awareness of Envision’s mission and impact to the masses – sans poultry.

A small crew from NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt spent most of a Friday in August at Envision Dallas to capture a story about artist and sculptor Tomas Bustos and the impact of accessible art for people who are blind or visually impaired. Bustos recently held a public art exhibition at the Envision Arts Gallery in the early summer months and has been teaching sculpting class at Envision Dallas for over a year. Bustos specializes in bas-relief, cast bronze works that are tactile recreations of famous masterpieces like the Mona Lisa, Starry Night and American Gothic.

The viewership reach of the NBC Nightly News is significant. It was ranked as a top-5 most-watched weekly program on TV for most weeks in 2022 (excluding sports, specials and syndication), averaging 6.772 million total viewers!

Sarah Kephart, Envision Arts Program Manager; Blake Lindsay, Envision Dallas Outreach Manager; and Keela Alonzo, Envision Dallas Assembler – Sewing, were all interviewed by NBC due to their connection and involvement in Bustos’s exhibition at the Envision Arts Gallery and sculpting class at Envision Dallas.

"The Envision Arts program has been championing accessibility in the arts for over 10 years, inspiring people of all ages with an opportunity to share their stories through creative self-expression," said Kephart. "Since opening the doors of the Envision Arts Gallery in January of 2022, our impact and reach, has inspired a community of creative individuals with vision loss and other disabilities from all across the world to feel a sense of inclusion in a field that at its core is about the human connection. The recognition of the gallery and the exhibition Masterpiece Relief for the Blind by Envision Dallas art education teacher and sculptor, Tomas Bustos, by NBC, signifies our cultural and societal desires to engage and provide meaningful, inclusive, diverse, and equitable access to the arts."

“What a treat to be interviewed by NBC Nightly News. I enjoyed telling the story of how I got to know Tomas, and how inspired we are that he desires to maximize our sculpting capability,” said Lindsay. “I believe NBC viewers will be as inspired as much as we are about Tomas’ dedication to accessible art and the history behind each masterpiece.”

Many other Envision employees worked behind-the-scenes to make the NBC story possible with support from all executive leadership.

“I’m proud of many Envision teammates who worked hard to prioritize this amazing national TV news opportunity and make it a great experience for all,” said Michael Monteferrante, Envision President and CEO. “This segment will help put a national spotlight on our impactful art program for people who are blind or visually impaired and will provide inspiration to viewers about the great things happening here at Envision and Envision Dallas.”

The air date of the Bustos/Envision story is yet to be determined. Once a date is confirmed, an additional announcement will be made on all Envision channels including our EnSight newsletter, social media and more.

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