Education, Artist Development & Community Partnership Program (Future Program)

Education, Artist Development & Community Partnership Program

With mission-driven focus and the ability to nimbly respond to their communities, independent venues can become living classrooms and community investment hubs. Venues are supported to create daytime programming for school groups, produce master classes, combine music and dialogue to spark conversation around current issues, and collaborate with schools and community groups.

Geographic Scope: National (leverages NIVA's network of thousands of venues and promoter members)

Focus Areas:

• Interactive performances showcasing music across genres and cultures
• Curriculum-based school residencies
• Student-centered album production
• Community-based songwriting projects
• Community commissions for new work

Interactive Performances

• Showcase ways music crosses boundaries and cultures
• Promote connection, expression, and understanding
• Opportunities for students to experience venues
• Experiential activities with direct performer-student exchanges

Curriculum-Based School Residencies

• Artist-teachers offer creative pathways into various curricula
• Legacy of protest music can inspire National History Day projects
• Classroom songwriting for English Language Arts and writing courses
• Music venues and local artists form lasting community partnerships

Student-Centered Album Production

• Students become content creators using digital music-making applications
• Mentorship by music venues and artist-teachers/working musicians
• Hands-on learning in writing, recording, mixing/mastering, performance, marketing, business development
• Projects engaging small groups, classrooms, or entire schools

Community-Based Songwriting Projects

• Collaborations with local organizations
• Partnerships with immigrant/refugee youth groups, disability centers, etc.
• Collaborative songwriting as means of sharing stories and giving new voices a platform
• Building community partnerships and access to arts experiences

Community Commissions

• Venues as active producers of new work
• Artist commissions featuring local musicians
• Collaboration with particular communities and groups
• Spur new sounds, conversations, and opportunities to build audiences

Benefits:

• Local musicians receive financial support
• Build stable ecosystems that encourage artists to put down roots in community
• Provide artists opportunities beyond gigs (teaching, commissions with community groups)
• Important investment in artists and music community