Training teens to be music entrepreneurs

The lack of all-ages venues around the country, and the fact that live music is so closely tied to liquor sales, are mistakes. Here's a project that realizes running music events can provide learning experiences for teens.

Seattle Post- Intelligencer, 2/17/07 - Vera Project trains teens for music industry: "But in 2007 Seattle, at the Vera Project, 17 means being around people who let you run the show.

So you run it.

Adults respect you, trust you and collaborate with you to make the music center and organization a place where music belongs to everybody. It also is a training ground for the next generation of the music industry. Someday, you might run the world.

You'll do that from a new home as Vera moves to a 9,000-square-foot, revamped, two-floor Snoqualmie Room at the Seattle Center that will house classrooms, offices, a recording studio and a venue for live all-ages shows. ...

To new board member and attorney Jerry Everard, who co-owns Neumo's, Vera works because of the bonds it forges.

'The emotional and intellectual experience of connecting with others your age is vital to the music industry,' he said. 'I don't think we want kids to be spending all their time at their computers, downloading music. We want kids out in the community, connecting with the community.'

Vera kids, Hong said, are all over the city using the training Vera provided. They are releasing records on their own labels; working at Bumbershoot, Seattle DIY.com, KEXP, the Stranger, Neumo's and OneReel; organizing events such as the Bend-It Fest; starting non-profits such as the Bikery; and teaching and mentoring at teen centers.

'Anywhere you could possibly look, youth are taking the stage and running the show around town,' Hong said."

Seattle
all ages
third places
economic development