The 2009-2010 academic year is an exciting one for VISIBLE SCHOOL as we have settled into a new, albeit temporary, location in the heart of the midtown Memphis neighborhood, Cooper-Young. The Cooper-Young neighborhood has long been known for its vibrant and eclectic artistic life, dining, and residential sections full of historic homes. This new location, at the corner of famed S. Cooper and Walker streets, is home to the first stage on which Johnny Cash played, was familiar ground to Elvis Presley, and is now home to a new generation of budding creatives.

Main Building

VISIBLE SCHOOL leases its temporary home, approximately 1.81 acres at the main educational/administrative building, from Lifelink Memphis, who purchased the building and occupied it in the autumn of 2008. This building houses the college's administrative offices, including the Office of the President and the Offices of Academic Development, Institutional Development, and Student Development, in a synergistic new shared office space on the second floor. Faculty offices for the Modern Music Ministry Department, as well as the primary music teaching areas, are on the second floor as well, providing easy access to students.

The first floor of the educational building houses the administrative offices of the college, including the Offices of the Registrar, Bursar, and Admissions. In addition, this floor houses a student cafe and a separate dining hall, and the Library and Resource Center, with its collection of books, reference materials, CD's, sheet music, videos, computer lab, and a conference/study area. Wireless internet and server access is available to staff, faculty, and students throughout the building. The Lifelink Memphis offices are also on this floor in a separate area. The Media Production Ministry Department is housed in a studio/classroom space directly behind "The Abbey," a full club/venue on the first floor. The MPM teaching space includes a fully functioning control room and tracking room for audio production. This recording space is adequate for recording and mixing projects from student efforts up to commercial releases. In addition, VISIBLE SCHOOL continues its relationship with the historic Ardent Studios, where students gain experience playing and recording in a professional studio environment. Due to the great new location of the college, Ardent Studios is now only a few blocks from the school, providing great benefit to all students. Also new this year, the college is beginning a partnership with Hope Presbyterian, home of a magnificent recording studio. MPM students will have the benefit of recording at Hope once a week on a variety of projects from both students and outside clients. The Music Business Ministry Department is located on the third floor in a spacious classroom/ conference room. This new business space will allow students to manage bands, create contracts, work on commercial releases, and participate in classes and labs in a sleek, modern room much like an office might be in their future careers. Separated from the music and recording areas by one and two floors, respectively, the MBM Department will function in the relative quiet needed for business learning and transactions. The facility has six private-lesson studios, three large classrooms, one small classroom, and an auditorium and separate chapel which function as both group meeting spaces and classrooms. Some of these classrooms serve as multi-purpose rooms which convert into four to six large ensemble rehearsal rooms. The auditorium is utilized for corporate worship, large classes, concert hall, workshops, and rehearsal space.

Dorms

Positioned approximately 3 miles away, VISIBLE SCHOOL utilizes Madison19, a newly built condominium, for student housing. Madison19 is located on Madison Ave on the edge of downtown Memphis. The project is modern in design, smart, sleek, and energy efficient. The space sat empty for a year before VISIBLE SCHOOL signed a lease/purchase to procure it for dorms. Madison19 contains 19 fully functioning units complete with a bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom. Each unit is 850 square feet and houses 4 students, which gives students ample room to study, play music and socialize. Each kitchen contains a microwave, dishwasher, full size refrigerator and a breakfast bar counter top to share meals together. The lower level of the project contains 6 garages which are used for laundering facilities and rehearsal space. Next to the building is a grassy lawn area complete with a grill for community cook-outs. The project and its parking lot is secured by a gated fence ensuring a safe, educational family environment for all of our VISIBLE SCHOOL students.