Youth to lead summer art and music movement

BY ERIC LINDBERG
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

It’s almost an underground movement, forced by its nature to remain hidden in the shadows.
Kids pass along information by word-of-mouth or flyers they pull from their back pocket.
Those not hooked into the network probably don’t know that starting in mid-June, a 10-week wave of live art and music events will sweep through the Santa Barbara area.
That’s just how the organizers have to keep it.

“We’re trying to make it less [the adults] organizing it and more the kids,” said Laura Inks, a grant writer, fundraiser and behind-the-scenes planner. “It’s all grassroots, it’s all spur-of-the-moment.”
What it is, exactly, is a major venture known as “805 Open Mic Summer Concert Series ’08” put together by folks working with the Youth Arts Project (YAP), Shape of Voice, Collaborative Communities Foundation (CCF) and a host of other local organizations focused on bridging the societal gaps in all communities.
Following the June 12 release date for local schools, organizers plan to step back and let youth take the lead on hosting weekly open mic nights, live art projects and neighborhood cleanups.
“I’m looking forward to having lots of activities for kids to do so they stay out of trouble,” Inks said. “Kids are always telling me there is nothing to do. Now they don’t have that excuse.”
Youth that get involved also have a chance to make a little cash. Most of the grant money and donations will be used to offer stipends to kids involved in the production of the events.
At the same time, organizers said, they’ll be getting work experience, learning how to collaborate and involving themselves in the community.
Youth-led art projects and shows last summer proved successful, Inks said, and organizers hope to include upwards of 4,000 teens this time around.
“We just wanted to keep doing more of the same, giving kids an opportunity to express themselves and help the environment,” she said.
Once kids get together, they’ll start scouting out spots in their own neighborhoods to clean up. Then, during “Mean Green Mondays,” they’ll gather up friends and volunteers and get the work done.
At the same time, they’ll be taking care of required community service hours, getting free refreshments and having fun, Inks said.
“It’s about them taking ownership and pride in their own neighborhoods and the streets where they hang out,” she said.
Organizers are hoping to get permission to enter creeks and waterways to remove litter and spray paint cans. They are also looking for environmental organizations willing to participate and break down environmental issues for participants.
A series of open mic nights, which organizers envision as rotating to various cities in the Tri-County area, will focus on addressing youth violence and the impact of the war on local teens.
The performances culminate in late August with a three-day concert series featuring national artists and local acts that rose to the top during the summer.
The top three local performers during the concert earn recording time to put together a demo, with a band if needed. The winner also receives $1,000 in music lessons, equipment, recording time, or instruments of their choice.
The guidelines are simple: original musical acts and bands are welcome. Those who can’t make it to a show can send in a demo, which could be their ticket to the closing concert.
Anyone living in the 805 area code is invited to the open mic sessions, planned for Saturday nights. Those running the show hope to “infect” other cities with strategies and resources to host similar events.
For now, youth already involved in the project are focused on pulling together the many strands of the project.
With venues still to be secured, grant applications to be written and permits to be granted, organizers said having teens involved in the organizational aspect will give them a full-blown apprenticeship in event planning.
At the same time, bringing in donations and grants has been a tricky process as organizers attempt to walk the fine line between attracting sources and keeping the project as organic and youth-led as possible.
Inks said a recent anonymous donation of $10,000 will help secure other funding sources, such as organizations and foundations that look for an already-robust stream of income before they chip in.
Those who want to donate or teens looking for a little more information about the summer series can call 886-1540 or email 805openmic@gmail.com.