LEARNBelieve In Music
Believe in Music seeks support to conduct a full school year of music education for up to 250 students. Students will learn the elements of music, music technology, and collaborative composition. Students will become familiar with music software, writing and producing songs that reflect their unique artistic voices. This is a narrative-building project centering the complex lived experiences of those participating. Ultimately, students will use music technology as the vehicle to tell their own stories, create original songs, and have fun!
In which areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?
County of Los Angeles
City of Los Angeles
LAUSD (please select only if you have a district-wide partnership or project)
In what stage of innovation is this project?
Expand existing program
What is the need you’re responding to?
Due to the cut backs on music and arts education in Los Angeles and throughout the country in general, there is a great need for additional organizations that can provide this.
Believe in Music’s programming gives crucial access to innovative arts education that creates opportunities for expression and process that many of our young people rarely get. Through the centering of marginalized voices our programming supports the co-creation of counter-narratives that empower the students while fostering social and emotional connection.
Why is this project important to the work of your organization?
Children who grow up in low income households typically lack access to innovative arts education. Through our unique programming and music industry and community partnerships we are able to make this possible.
Over the last 10 years we have served of 10,000 students with a completion rate of 90%
We target the most under resourced schools and communities to ensure our music technology programs have the largest impact. Technology access opens endless doors to creative opportunities for advancement in college and careers.
Approximately how many people will be impacted by this proposal?
Direct Impact: 100
Indirect Impact: 5,000
Please describe the broader impact of your proposal.
Besides providing much needed arts education in a time when outlets for expression and process and vital for students social/emotional wellbeing, many of the students who participate in our programming go on to become professionals in the music industry. We work very hard to make it possible for that to happen even while students are still in highschool.
At Believe in Music we teach professional development in our own unique way. Our students are taught how to market and monetize their music and retain sole ownership of their content created.
Please explain how you will define and measure success for your project.
The goal and vision of sucess for this project is providing students with a level of music education that gives them opportunities for expression of self and skills they can use in a future in music of otherwise.
During this exploratory program, students will become familiar with computer recording software and how to write and produce complete songs that reflect their unique artistic voices. The instructor will facilitate energizing lessons and rubric-based projects all designed to invest students in their own academic, artistic, and personal growth. This course will help students develop deeper knowledge about music and music technology, with the greatest emphasis being on the creation of original content.
After each class; drawing on feedback from teachers and peers, students develop and implement strategies to improve and refine the technical and expressive aspects of draft compositions and improvisations.
Which of the LEARN metrics will your submission impact?
Arts education
Suspension and expulsion rates
Opportunity youth (“Disengaged youth” 16-24 not working or in school)
Are there any other LA2050 goal categories that your proposal will impact?
LA is the best place to CREATE
Which of LA2050’s resources will be of the most value to you?
Access to the LA2050 community
Communications support
Office space for meetings, events, or for staff
Strategy assistance and implementation