Who says there’s nothing to do?
By Rachel Baumel
Dear Readers,
I was fortunate to be involved in Around Wellington Magazine back in 2007 when it was print only. Since then I received my degree in Arts Administration from Simmons College and was part of the Boston arts scene in many ways. Upon my return to South Florida, I decided to explore the cultural opportunities Palm Beach County had to offer for people between the ages of 18 to 35. As your guest contributor, I look forward to sharing what I learn.
In spite of articles that state the contrary, there’s plenty to do here. Let’s explore together! My first discovery was the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County. It is an excellent source for things to do and places to go. As a musician, I was curious to find out more about their Musician Membership program.
Located at 601 Lake Avenue (in a stunning 1940’s art deco building) they are using Lake Worth’s Evenings on the Avenue as a springboard for their own “Evenings at the Council” performances on the first and third Friday evenings of each month. They present different music based concerts to the general public.
In addition, the Council and their affiliates are gradually rolling out a program to provide performance space for paid gigs or practice. This service allows the public to have a better understanding of the local musician community and potentially match talent with performance opportunities. Providing a beautiful space to convene gives musician members the advantage of networking with like-minded musicians. It is also a chance to become visible to the visiting public and gain exposure to venues and opportunities they may not have had before.
The first Friday of each month is usually a solo performance, and the third Friday is Open Mic night, hosted by Wayne Perry (a gifted trombone player), Vanessa Diaz (guitarist and vocalist), and DJ Kyle Thought. Open Mic night has been gaining more and more popularity. All three hosts bring an incredible talent and energy every time they perform. More and more musicians and vocalists are signing up, as the word gets out. Last month they had a talent contest and the winner received $100!
Recently, I spoke to Marlon Foster, the Visitor Services and Music Coordinator at the Cultural Council. He had much to add about the musician membership:
RB: Tell me what you, personally, find most exciting about your Musician Membership Program?
MF: For me, there are a lot of interesting aspects to the Musician Membership program. The possibility of building a community of Musicians excites me. South Florida, in general, is renowned for having a great “pool” of talent: artists, poets, dancers, singers, and writers. They all seem to have their own community. As a not-for-profit, service-oriented organization, we want to do the same for the musicians. So far, we have 16 new musician members of different genres and skill levels.
RB: Tell me how the Musician Membership program started?
MF: Being a musician myself and very passionate about music in general, I was struggling to connect with other musicians for projects. I also find the lack of performance venues very frustrating. I was feeling that the importance of music as an art form was being overlooked. The Cultural Council has done tremendous things for visual artists and our cultural organization members, but we are just at the beginning of tapping into how we can help the music community.
RB: What styles of music are performed?
MF: Styles of music have varied over the past months. To name just a few, we have had:
- Suga Wack: an improvisational fusion jazz group
- Ruby, the Harpist: classically trained and loves to engage with the crowd
- Silent Disco: two DJ’s and wireless headphones- the gallery experience is transformed by the music
- Rapper: “Magic” is a conscious acoustic rapper who also sings and plays the guitar
… And many more. Check out palmbeachculture.com for more information about past performances.
RB: Tell me a little about yourself. You’re a native of England, correct?
MF: I am 30 years old, originally born in Ft. Lauderdale, but my mother is from England so I left when I was a baby. I was raised in Leicester, which is a fantastic place with a hugely diverse community. In Leicester I attended college to obtain a degree in music and I got involved with Dj’ing, rapping, performing with my cousin, Alex Brodella, and our mutual friend, Euan Carter. We went by the name of Offbeat Reprobates. I still contribute music to my friends back home and, in particular, to my very good friends Conrad Smart and Thomas Tyrall.
RB: How did you come to be the Visitor Services and Music Coordinator of this organization?
MF: I moved back to Florida in November 2011 and initially stayed with my sister. As soon as I landed, I sent my resumé out to several places and I was fortunate to get an interview at the Cultural Council. I think my English charm rubbed off and they gave me a shot. I feel very fortunate to work for this great organization and have learned a huge amount, thanks to mentors like Rena Blades and Kathy Alex.
RB: In your own words, what are the benefits to becoming a musician member of the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County?
MF: There are a lot of benefits to joining the Cultural Council Musician membership.
A member receives an annual listing in our online Artist Directory (bio, images, video). Each member is given consideration to perform at “Evenings at the Council” and other Council events. There are opportunities for solo performances at other venues. Members are considered for special features and/or free advertising placement in our Art & Culture magazine. In addition, practice space is available.
RB: What is the age range of most of the musician members/performers?
MF: The age ranges of most of the musician members are between 20 to 45 years old. The people in attendance at our events are between 20 and 65 (this includes young families). We are now seeing attendance numbers of about 140 on Open Mic nights and it continues to grow.
RB: What a wonderful program. I look forward to attending your performances. Thank you!
For more event information see:
https://www.palmbeachculture.com/council-events/evenings-at-the-council/
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Rachel Baumel, 25, grew up in Wellington and moved to Boston to receive her bachelor’s degree in Arts Administration from Simmons College. She has returned to Around Wellington as a special guest contributor. Rachel was formerly our Teen Talk columnist and later became the marketing assistant and festival coordinator for the Colleges of the Fenway Office of Performing Arts.