Artichoke Community Music

THE MISSION OF ARTICHOKE MUSIC IS TO PROVIDE A REWARDING EXPERIENCE THAT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE OF ALL CLASSES, RACES, GENDERS AND CHALLENGES TO DISCOVER,LEARN AND PLAY MUSIC WITHIN A SUPPORTIVE AND SUSTAINING COMMUNITY. OUR MISSION IS TO DO THIS IN PART BY CAPTURING THE ESSENCE OF PORTLAND'S CULTURE AND MUSIC SCENE MUSICAL INSPIRATION SO THAT PEOPLE ACROSS THE NATION AND AROUND THE WORLD CAN BE INSPIRED BY THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF PORTLAND'S CREATIVE COMMUNITY. ARTICHOKE IS A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE LISTENS TO MUSIC, ANYONE CAN LEARN TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT,ANYONE CAN EXPERIENCE PERFORMING MUSIC ON STAGE AND WHERE PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF PLAYING SONGS AND MUSIC TOGETHER. IT IS ALSO A PLACE THAT CAN CAPTURE THIS INSPIRING ACTIVITY IN DIGITAL FORMS AND SPREAD THAT INSPIRATION ACCROSS THE NATION. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: WE PROVIDE A SPACE AND VARIED COMMUNITIES FOR ALL ARTISTS TO PRACTICE, DEVELOP, TEACH, PERFORM, COLLABORATE AND DIGITALLY CAPTURE THEIR ART. WE PROVIDE GROUPS, SUCH AS SOLDIER SONG

STOREFONT RETAIL SHOP: THE RETAIL STORE SERVES AS THE ENTRY POINT INTO ARTICHOKE'S SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR MANY OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS. THE STORE IS THE CENTER OF MUCH OF THE MUSIC SCHOOLS REGISTRATION PROCESS, WITH STAFF AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT CLASSES AND TEACHERS. THE STOREFRONT ALSO SERVES AS A CLASSROOM FOR CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS IN THE EVENINGS, MAKING IT VISIBLE FROM THE STREET AND A WAY TO GENERATE AWARENESS OF THE MUSIC LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AT ARTICHOKE MUSIC. OUR DISCOUNTED INSTRUMENT RENTAL PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WHO NEED AN INSTRUMENT FOR A CLASS OPERATES FROM OUR STOREFRONT. THE STORE ALSO SERVES AS A DROP-OFF POINT FOR INSTRUMENT DONATIONS WHICH ARE THEN MAINTAINED IN THE STORE FOR STUDENTS WHO CANT AFFORD TO PURCHASE OR RENT AN INSTRUMENT, I.E., PEOPLE TAKING CLASSES AT ARTICHOKE MUSIC OR OFF-SITE OUTREACH PROGRAMS.

MUSIC SCHOOL: ARTICHOKE MUSIC'S SCHOOL HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL PLATFORMS IN THE CITY FOR DEVELOPING STUDENTS OF ALL AGES, AND BUILDING A VIBRANT MUSIC SCENE OF PERFORMERS AND EDUCATED AUDIENCE MEMBERS-AS WELL AS ENCOURAGING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE PORTLAND'S MUSIC SCENE, ONE OF THE TREASURE OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. THE MUSIC CLASSES ARE DESIGNED TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER IN A SUPPORTIVE, NON-COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES INTERPERSONAL COMMUNCATION. CLASSES ARE OPEN TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, SKILL LEVELS AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS. WE HAVE OPERATED A MUSIC SCHOOL THAT HAS OVER 1,000 STUDENTS IN 190 CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS INCLUDING FIVE SEVEN-WEEK CLASS SESSIONS, ONE FOUR-WEEK SUMMER SESSION AND YEAR-ROUND DROP-IN WORKSHOPS-MANY OF THEM UNIQUE IN THE REGION, WITH WORKSHOPS IN VOCAL SCAT SINGING, GYPSY JAZZ, HARP ENSEMBLES, SONGWRITING, CROSS-GENRE COLLABORATION SKILLS AND MORE. WITH CLASSES FOR BOTH ADULTS AND CHILDREN, ARTICHOKE COMMUNITY MUSIC'S CLASSES PROMOTE PERSON-TO-PERSON CONNECTIONS AND PERSONAL GROWTH THROUGH CREATIVE SELF-EXPRESSION. TEACHERS WILL BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE OTHER SERVICES ARTICHOKE PROVIDES, OFTEN AT EDUCATOR DISCOUNTS, WITH STUDENTS INCREASINGLY BEING ABLE TO ALSO ENJOY SAVINGS IN THEIR JOURNEY TO LEARN, LISTEN TO, AND MORE FULLY PERFORM MUSIC. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND MARKETING TO AREA MUSICIANS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE THEIR LIVING TEACHING MUSIC. TOGETHER, WITH OUR SUPPORT; THESE TEACHERS PROMOTE THE ARTS AS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF A HEALTHY SOCIETY.

LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCES: WE OPERATE A VENUE THAT PROVIDES PROFORMING OPPORTUNITIES TO LOCAL ARTIST. OUR SONGWRITER ROUND-UP ANDOPEN MIC NIGHTS GIVE BUDDING MUSICIANS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD AND TO CONNECT WITH OTHER MUSICIANS. WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE MUSIC OF MULTIPLE CULTURES FOR THE EDIFICATION OF AUDIENCES. MANY OF THESE PERFORMANCES ARE CAPTURED DIGITALLY AND STREAMED, PROVIDING A GROWING LIBRARY OF ENTERTAINMENT FOR AUDIENCES, AND MARKETING TOOLS FOR THE MUSICIANS WHO WORK WITH US, SO THAT AUDIENCES AND MUSICIANS BOTH BENEFIT ECONOMICALLY AND CULTURALLY FROM THIS BROADER EXPOSURE. WITH THE VAST MAJORITY OF DOOR PROCEEDS BENEFITTING THE ARTIST, WE ENABLE PERFORMERS TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES IN THE ARTS. THE VENUE ALSO SERVES AS AN ENTRY POINT FOR VOLUNTEERS TO CONNECT WITH THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. SOME VOLUNTEERS ARE TRAINED ON SKILLS THAT COULD BENEFIT THEIR OWN CAREERS, ESPECIALLY THE TRAINING WE DO IN CAPTURING VIDEO IN A MULTI-CAMERA ARRANGEMENT, AND IN DOING LIVE AND STUDIO-USEFUL MUSIC RECORDING AND MIXING. THIS APPROACH TO DEVELOPING VOLUNTEERS INCREASINGLY WILL FILL GAPS IN THE PORTLAND ECONOMY BY GIVING THESE VOLUNTEERS A PATH TO DEVELOP SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE TO IMPORVE THEIR EMPLOYABILITY, AND ALSO GIVING SUCH VOLUNTEERS A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE BEST LEARNING COMES FROM COLLABORATING WITH TALENTED PROFESSIONALS, INCLUDING OUR EMMY(TM)AWARD WINNING AUDIO VISUAL PRODUCTION MANAGER.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH: ARTICHOKE COMMUNITY MUSIC SERVES ITS COMMUNITY THROUGH OUTREACH PROGRAMS THAT PRIMARILY BENEFIT DISADVANTAGED YOUTH. WE HAVE PROVIDED GUITAR INSTRUCTION AT PARKROSE MIDDLE SCHOOL,PORTLAND TENNIS & EDUCATION AND AT THE YOUTH PROGRESS ASSOCIATION LEARNING CENTER. IN ADDITION TO YOUTH, WE PROVIDED INSTRUMENTS TO THE UKULELE CLUB AT THE COFFEE CREEK CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. OUR NEWEST INITIATIVE IS A MUSIC CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM WITH PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.