It has been a while and we wanted to apprise you of all the news with South Hudson Music Project!
To begin, we were officially granted our 501©3 status as of late this summer. We will no longer be partnering with Shunpike, and would like to thank them for all of their amazing work with us these last few years. As such, we have a new way to donate on our website. All donations now go directly to South Hudson Music Project via our nonprofit PayPal and will no longer be processed through Shunpike. Please reach out to us if you have any questions about donations.
We were small to start and now we are growing with a new board, and we are thrilled with our members. Be sure to check out the list of our board members below.
Much has changed since March, and we are no exception. The Royal Room continues to be closed for live performance; while the public health crisis makes live performances impossible, we are cautiously optimistic about the future of preventive measures and as such, we hope to reopen in September of 2021. However, given how much has changed in the current climate, South Hudson Music Project has temporarily realigned its mission to reflect more timely priorities.
Until the Royal Room reopens, we will focus on two principal concerns:
(1) Keeping the Royal Room fiscally healthy during this critical time.
Without the ability to host live performances, The Royal Room has virtually no income streams for the foreseeable future. Fortunately, we have significantly reduced expenses and have had great support from The Royal Esquire Club, and we are grateful for their understanding and flexibility. To pay our ongoing expenses, we have secured some grants and loans, but those will not see the Royal Room through this spring and summer. South Hudson Music Project will be fundraising to support the Royal Room to ensure its survival until it can physically reopen.
(2) Programming musical events online.
The Staycation Festival is now our principal programming outlet. Every Friday and Sunday, in collaboration with Live Concerts Stream, South Hudson Music Project presents streaming concerts featuring a variety of genres and local favorites. We had a slew of incredible performances this summer and we continue to focus on great music, while continuing to support diversity, equity, and community. In addition, we are concerned about our musicians, and support to the South Hudson Music Project helps us pay the musicians fairly and cover our other expenses.
While there is a lot of support for artists these days, the majority of it is for generative artists: composers, writers, curators, and so forth, as well as organizations designed to support the arts. As a composer myself, working musicians – those that dedicate their life to playing their instrument – are at the core of my work. There are virtually no resources in the post-covid reality for working musicians, financially or otherwise, and many musicians are feeling anxious about the possibility of a new reality. Our online events are more than just much-needed employment – they also help musicians stay hopeful and inspired, and provide a chance to continue their craft even when the outlook is bleak. We hope you will join us in continuing to support the amazing musicians that cross our path.
We are so excited for the future of South Hudson Music Project. Thank you for being a part of our journey!
OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS
Willem de Koch
President
Maggie Hooks
Vice President
Karen Caropepe
Treasurer
Mark Wittow Secretary
SOUTH HUDSON MUSIC PROJECT STATEMENT OF EQUITY
South Hudson Music Project is committed to climate justice, the dismantling of racism and gender inequality, and the fostering of economic justice. We aim to reflect these values in the work we support, and the spaces we create.