On Friday, November 8th, Levitt Foundation’s President and CEO Sharon Yazowski met with Music Forward Foundation’s Youth Advisory Council, UpNext.
During the presentation, Sharon touched on how Levitt funds and empowers organizations across the country to bring life to underused spaces in their local communities, and bridge art, culture, and economic opportunity through free outdoor concerts. In 2024, the Levitt Foundation supported more than 650 free outdoor concerts in 50+ towns and cities, fostering joy and belonging for people of all ages and backgrounds while strengthening the social fabric of communities.
The 2024 UpNext councilmembers are a cohort of young artists and emerging music business professionals involved in their local music scenes across the country, and will take on the task of creating an event in their own communities next spring. They will have a budget, sponsored by Levitt, to bring these events to life. Levitt Foundation’s mission to “activate underused outdoor spaces, creating welcoming, inclusive destinations where the power of free, live music brings people together and invigorates community life”, and Sharon’s presentation to the council and resources she shared will help guide the council as they begin planning their own community activations.
Suba Senthil, who is based in New York said: “It was very cool and informative to see the thought and care put behind communities and space when planning live music and festival events, and the deliberate involvement with booking local acts. The toolkit the Levitt Foundation puts together— with sponsorship deck templates, checklists, volunteer guides, etc. is such a great starting point for those producing events for the first time!”
Dominic Glaude, Boston-based Council member said: “Sharon from the Levitt Foundation was very informative at our last youth advisory meeting. She explained the importance of creating spaces for artists and creatives all over the country by helping to fund community festivals and create permanent venues. They also expressed allowing event coordinators to maintain creative control over their events which I found to be very inclusive of each community’s cultures. Nurit from the Music Forward Foundation also shared her insights on collaborating within your network.”
“It has been wonderful to see this cohort grow their professional skills and build their confidence as emerging industry leaders throughout these past 6 months. They have been able to land paid internships in the industry and share their work as artists to a wider audience. We were intentional with who we picked for the inaugural cohort – young people with a passion for music and their communities, who wish to make the industry a more inclusive space for the next generation and Levitt’s sponsorship will help them bring their plans into fruition.” – Nia Williams, Career Development Manager at Music Forward.
To learn more about our Youth Advisory Council, click here.