9/18/24 press release: Uplifting Queer Voices GRANT PROGRAMMING LAUNCHES
Originally published September 18, 2024
Leo Harrison
Northampton, MA – The Parlor Room Collective is excited to announce the launch of Uplifting Queer Voices in Music, a 12-month, free community program dedicated to empowering and amplifying the voices of local 2SLGBTQIA+ musicians and industry professionals, with an emphasis on QTBIPOC-led affinity spaces. The program’s mission is to provide robust support through professional development initiatives, workshops, and performance opportunities that uplift the queer community in the music industry.
Program highlights include:
Grant Writing Strategies for Success: This workshop equips participants with strategies for researching funding opportunities, crafting compelling narratives, and preparing competitive proposals.
Entrepreneurship for Queer Musicians: Led by Massachusetts-based, award-winning musician Melissa Ferrick, this workshop focuses on brand-building, financial management, DIY project management, and booking strategies.
Marketing Basics: Participants will learn creative and practical marketing strategies with a focus on accessibility guidelines, taught by Luc Abbott, a Massachusetts-based trans musician and marketing consultant from Bloom Local.
Collaborative Songwriting for QBIPOC Musicians: Leo Harrison and Indë Francis from the Northampton Community Music Center will lead this six-week workshop, providing a supportive space for creative exploration and celebrating intersectional identities through music.
Local Histories of Queer Musicians: In collaboration with Forbes Library’s special collections and Northampton Pride, this workshop will explore the often-overlooked histories of 2SLGBTQIA+ musicians, with a focus on those erased from mainstream narratives.
Transhealth and The Parlor Room Present: This monthly music series will feature a BIPOC TGD performer at the Parlor Room, along with a local 2SLGBTQIA+ opening act, ensuring fair compensation and a competitive guarantee for all performers.
Ujima Singers & Pride Chorus Performances: In partnership with the Northampton Community Music Center, we will co-produce performances featuring the Ujima Singers, an Afrocentric music collective, and the Pride Chorus, an 2SLGBTQIA+ vocal group.
Parlor Room and Grrrls to the Front Present: A monthly music series highlighting a non-cis male musician and sound technician, co-presented with Grrrls to the Front.
This program is made possible by the Music in Action Grant from Live Music Society and partnerships with community organizations and is designed to break down barriers to participation, ensuring accessibility and inclusion.
Upcoming dates include:
- 10/13 Collaborative Songwriting w/ Leo & Indë
- 11/10, 11/17 Pride in the Mix! Basic Sound Mixing w/ Karen Sise
-11/16 Gender Affirming Voice Masterclass I
-10/8, 10/22 Painting Poetry w/ Ella Alkiewicz
-10/5,12/3 DIY Marketing Basics w/ Luc Abbott
-11/3, 12/14 Music Licensing w/ Nismah Osman
-10/8,11/12, 12/10 Queer Open Mic (2nd Tuesday Monthly)