Urban Action Music Label

why it's important:

This is important to me because i grew up right outside of Hartord, CT and saw first hand how violence negitively impacts a community and how youth are turned away from a productive lifestyle and into the world of drugs,guns, and violence. I hope to make a huge impact in the environment in which i live and deveop programs which keep youth away from this negitive and life changing events.

the plan of action:

Chris Horn
Non-Profit Music Label Proposal

Urban Action Records
Project Overview:
We will establish, run, and build a non-profit music label which shares in the same views and principles of the Institute and its quest for a non-violent world. We will begin with high school afterschool programs surrounding lyrical development and progression and then begin to have these participants record with us. Each year a best of CD will be produced and mass produced to be sold throughout the community and through the Institutes supporters. The revenue from this will be poured back into the expansion of this after school program throughout all of Rhode Island. This cycle will be perpetuated gaining publicity and revenue until we are able to sign individual persons to the label itself. Then , we will take a portion of their profits and use it to continue expanding these programs into other cities and neighborhoods throughout Rhode Island.
Background:
Throughout time music and lyrical production has had a profound effect on history. It has been the voice of revolutions and an inspirational art millions have gained strength and perseverance from and continued to strive in the pursuit of betterment. Publically expressing emotions, such as lyrical creations, has clinically been shown to provide beneficial physiological transformations and homeostasis following traumatic and/or potentially harmful situations and events. Music provides a physical and emotional release which may be unknown to many people. The ability of a person to express certain states of being such as concerns, hopes, dreams, past experiences, or stories. Further, the ability of a person to express their emotions whether it is anger, joys, or sadness it is essential in the healthy developmental process of life.
Project Detail:
Goal: To help the youth develop their musical talent through emotional expression while at the same time enriching their lives with non-violent themes and ideals.
1.) Have after school programs dedicated to developing lyrics which follow the principles and ideals of the Institute
2.) Have weekly field trips to the studio which keeps them off the streets and out of potentially harmful situations
3.) Giving them something to be proud of and a goal to work for
4.) Give low-economic families the opportunity at a better life
5.) Unifying a community with positive material
Clientele: First and foremost the clientele will be the youth involved in both the after school programs and studio production as well as those issued label contracts. The secondary clientele will be the entire Rhode Island community. This will be done by the unifying aspect of these songs, the youth, and the message within it all.
Methods:
1.) After school programs-development and expansion of them
2.) Music Studio recording field trips
3.) Best of CD produced yearly-creating publicity, opportunity, and revenue
Staff:
1.) Project Director- Responsible for hiring staff, recruiting and involving volunteers, overseeing project development and operation, establishing and maintaining links with local government agencies, and budget
2.) Music Engineer-Responsible for the musical production with the Project Director
3.) Project Evaluator- Responsible for collecting entry level data regarding the effectiveness of the after school programs, studio recording sessions, and analysis of project’s accomplishments over time, and summative assessment of extent to which project accomplished its goals.

Available Resources:
1.) Music industry figures
2.) 3 musical engineers and producers to work with
3.) A multitude of volunteer musicians to create music
4.) PC community
Needed Resources:
1.) 4 part time workers-3 musical engineers, project manager
2.) Music Studio and available space
3.) Paper, pencils, pens-for afterschool programs
4.) Connection to develop afterschool program desired
5.) Budget: TBD
Project Evaluation:
Formative-Primarily qualitative in nature, the formative evaluation will be conducted through Structured interviews (explanation: questions identified beforehand and these form the organization of the interview process as different from anything that comes to mind) and open-ended questionnaires. The youth of the program will be asked about the program, its educational implications, and effectiveness to create expression of emotions in a positive way. The Project Evaluator will meet regularly with project staff to share findings from the formative evaluation effort. Periodic reports will be prepared that identify the major findings of the formative evaluation and these evaluations will be used to improve the program in their respective areas over time.
Summative- Primarily quantitative in nature, the summative evaluation will begin with the establishment of baseline data at the beginning of the Project using an opinion survey distributed through random sampling of the youth involved in the program about non-violence, and overall attitudes on life and expression of emotions. An opinion survey (distributed through random sampling of the youth) and then be conducted in 6 month intervals. Data for the summative evaluation will focus on the two primary goals of the project and the objectives of each.
1.) The attaining and expression of the principles and ideals of the Institute not only vocally in conversation and classroom participation but in the songs which are produced.
2.) The ability of the youth participants to express their emotions and experiences-effectively setting their cautions and guards aside and beginning to show vulnerability.
A yearly report will be issued that presents the formative and summative findings.
Time Line:
Month One:
1.) Advertisement of program throughout schools in Providence
2.) Meetings with the Institute staff to share program and gain volunteers and participants
3.) Begin setting up programs at various high schools
Month Two:
1.) Have at least one after school program established at a local high school
2.) Gaining participants through streetworkers and Institute workers
3.) Have studio up and running with the engineers well-versed with the software
Month Three:
1.) Establishment of concrete staff of individuals
2.) Expansion of program to other schools
Month Four-Six:
1.) Start weekly trips to the Studio to record music developed in programs and at home
2.) Recruitment for other volunteers to run after school programs as expansion occurs
Month Seven-Eleven:
1.) Continue trips to studio for recording
2.) Begin to establish track lists and set of songs for the best of CD
3.) Advertising and publicity of the upcoming album release

Month Twelve:
1.) Best of album comes out and is sold
2.) Expansion of programs continues
3.) Local area and Institute advertised concert to promote CD
4.) Revenue gained in distributed back into Label and after school programs
5.) Assess likelihood of signing persons year one or waiting

Respectfully Submitted,

Chris Horn

how you can get involved:

Others can be of huge help either in monetary donations, in musical equipment, and or general experience in the music and non-profit industry.