Live Nation detailed their new ”Live Nation Next Gen” career development program,” as reported by Variety. The entertainment company teamed up with SoLa Impact’s I Can Foundation to launch “Live Nation Next Gen” to focus on “helping young people, primarily from Black and Latinx communities, prepare for careers in the live music business,” as per a press release.
The free program is set to take place at SoLa’s new state-of-the art Technology and Entrepreneurship Center in South Los Angeles. The press release detailed the program further:
The inaugural program features an intensive 10-week program of courses for local students ages 16 to 21. Each week the students are guided through a curriculum and learning from a host of industry professionals, volunteer advisory board members, and Live Nation executives. Students are workshopping different aspects of creating and managing live entertainment including budgeting, artist relations, booking, marketing, and ticketing. The program is designed to allow young people to go behind the curtain to see how live entertainment comes to life. The program will culminate with the students producing their own youth-led, live music festival on June 18th at the SoLa Beehive. In addition to gaining this invaluable “behind the curtain” experience on how live entertainment comes to life, each student will earn a modest stipend and receive a portion of the festival’s profits.
Live Nation has also funded the creation of a jam room where “members of the community can perform, record, train, and simply learn music-related skills, all free of charge to South LA students.”
“So much of today’s music and popular culture has been built and nurtured through the creativity of Black and brown artists,” Executive Director of the SoLa I Can Foundation Sherri Francois noted. “It is critical that our young people are equipped to become executives, producers, managers, engineers, and professionals in the music and entertainment industry. In Live Nation, we found a partner that was equally committed to creating a long-term pipeline of talented executives of color in the music and live entertainment industry.”
“We saw the opportunity to cultivate a direct path to building a more diverse pipeline for young people into our business by investing in and partnering with the SoLa community,” Live Nation Women President Ali Harnell added. “We’re thrilled to launch this empowering career education program.”
Head here for more info on Live Nation and SoLa’s “Next Gen” prorgram.
