Groundwaves Hip-Hop Mentorship Program

Geographic Scope: Northwest Arkansas (Springdale, AR), with sister programs in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Fort Collins, Colorado

What is it? A six-month hip-hop open mic and mentorship program that furthers the discovery, development, and celebration of Northwest Arkansas talent across hip-hop music and communities.

Open Mic Nights

• Held once per month on Tuesdays
• Venue: The Medium in Springdale
• Performer sign-ups: 5 PM day of show, in-person only
• Showcase begins: 6 PM
• Free and open to the public
• Each open mic night serves as a collaborative effort, with both audience and program mentor providing real-time feedback and support

One-on-One Mentorship

• Mentorship sessions held the day following open mic
• Mentors discuss with performers:
  • Artistic development
  • The business of music
  • How to grow their scene
• Performers can sign up for multiple sessions

Program Mentor: Murs (West Coast rapper, Nicholas Carter), an accomplished musician and Guinness World Record holder

Past Performance:

• Season 1 (2021): Provided 48 hours of one-to-one mentorship time to 36 different rappers, MCs, and music producers, many first-time performers. Five performers earned opening spots for Murs at Railyard Live stage in Rogers.
• Season 2 (2022): Ran May 10 – October 12, 2022, with expanded reach to Oklahoma
• Season 3 (2023): Expanded to include Tulsa, Oklahoma and Fort Collins, Colorado programs. Extended programming beyond open mics, including museum tours and festival performances.

Funding: Supported by Tyson Family Foundation and Walton Family Foundation

Contact/More Info: www.cachecreate.org/music-performance

Participation Information

How to Participate in Open Mic:

• In-person sign-up only at The Medium (214 S. Main Street, Springdale, AR)
• Sign-ups begin at 5 PM on night of show
• Free and open to public
• No formal application required

How to Access Mentorship:

• Sign up for one-on-one sessions after expressing interest at open mics
• Sessions scheduled for day following open mic night
• Held at The Medium

Typical Schedule (Season 3 Example):
Open mics typically held second Tuesday of each month:

• May 16, 2023
• June 13, 2023
• July 11, 2023
• August 8, 2023
• September 12, 2023
• October 10, 2023

Details on Application Materials:
No formal application process; participation is walk-in based at open mics.