Higher Elevation Studio is the culmination of Royce Harris’s vision for ministry. A former recording artist himself, he founded Daybreak Prison Ministry over thirty years ago. He dreamed of being able to broadcast interviews and music into the prison system. His wife has been active in this arena for many years, producing an album partially written by female inmates and launched inside the women’s prison responsible for the songwriting, a first in Canada and possibly in the entire prison ministry world. Early in 2024, James Salter, Eileen Richardson (DiaDan Holdings), and Scotty Wilbanks put their heads together and came up with an idea to help put Higher Elevation Studio on the map. Wilbanks put together several dozen questions for Royce to put to both inmates and former inmates. The idea was to get ten to fifteen-minute audio or video interviews and then take the answers to the questions and write them as songs. The trio spent a lot of time collaborating, ironing out all of the ...
Music venues usually sit at the heart of local culture, giving artists places to showcase their talent and giving everyone a place to come together for live music. For many communities, music venues become cultural symbols, helping to shape city and neighbourhood identities. At DiaDan Holdings , we recognize that these spaces are vital for supporting artists in local communities. They create connections for emerging talent and enrich the cultural lives of local citizens. A large part of the cultural identity of any community, big or small, stems from the kinds of acts and artists playing at the local theatre. The entertainment on offer ideally mirrors the diversity of tastes and cultures that contribute to making the community what it is. Concerts also bring in tourists, giving a huge boost to the local economy. Music venues contribute to job creation while building a common sense of community pride. Live music has a way of uniting people, crossing boundaries and generationa...