By Sara Trapani, The Ashokan Center, Inc.
We are grateful for the grant provided by the IBMA Foundation that enabled the Ashokan Center to expand access to bluegrass traditions to an economically diverse community. Hosted by IBMA Mentor of the Year, Kimber Ludiker, the program was an amazing success!
More than 100 participants of all levels immersed themselves in a week of bluegrass instruction on Ashokan’s idyllic 385-acre nature preserve. Campers enjoyed dozens of inspiring workshops and classes as well as jamming sessions for fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar, bass, harmony singing, and songwriting.
Grant support from the IBMA Foundation helped us offer tiered pricing options for Bluegrass Camp including “Youth” and “Economy” tiers, as well as new “Pay it Forward Scholarships” geared specifically for teachers and working musicians. This year 46 participants accessed this camp through our low-cost tiered pricing options—a significant increase over last year. Ashokan also observed an increase in youth participants and campers of all ages who reported making meaningful memories and inspiring connections with intergenerational peers.
Riyae Park, age 9, had her first Ashokan experience at Bluegrass Camp. Riyae quickly found mentors in her adult peers. She formed a band called “Gowanus Flower” with four other campers to perform at the camp’s finale open mic night. Riyae was recently accepted into IBMA’s Kids on Bluegrass program this November in Raleigh, NC. “My favorite part of camp was picking up the bass,” Riyae said. Her experience demonstrates how mentorship, creativity, and a supportive environment can encourage new generations to explore bluegrass music.
We exceeded our goals and objectives for this initiative by:
1) Increasing our initial registration goal of 80-100 attendees by 37% to welcome 112 attendees. Participants came from as far as Iowa, Florida, and Canada. The increased attendance demonstrated the success of our marketing and outreach efforts to our 14K+ email audience, 16K+ social media reach and ~250K annual website visitors.
2) Expanding outreach to financially diverse communities by offering scholarships and tiered pricing, ensuring no one is turned away due to lack of funds and that music traditions remain accessible to all. This year, >60% of attendees were able to attend through tiered pricing, scholarships, and/or comped admission (i.e. volunteers/special circumstances).
3) Cultivating new talent by increasing younger registrants. Campers under age 18 increased and were introduced to new instruments and mentorship from seasoned performers. Staff encouraged cross-generational collaboration amongst diverse age groups. We were delighted to learn that a youth camper will also be participating in IBMA Foundation’s Kids on Bluegrass program this November in Raleigh, NC.
4) Promoting skill development for all levels, from beginner to advanced, through daily classes, jam sessions, and feedback opportunities. Attendees could elect from a wide range of electives, like specific beginner lessons and “slow jam” sessions.
Collaboration across skill levels was encouraged and folks could perform at the “open mic” night!
5) Preserving and promoting bluegrass heritage by inviting a wide range of world class instructors, including several who’ve been celebrated by IBMA. This allowed participants to explore/deepen their connection with and knowledge about bluegrass music in a way that they’ll take home with them and share.
We’re delighted to share that the Ashokan Center’s Bluegrass Camp featured a public Open House that welcomed over 70 local community members to join in and celebrate bluegrass as well as the campers’ hard work and new skills. Camp staff and participants were also featured on Jay Ungar and Molly Mason’s live broadcast of “The Quiet Room,” introducing over hundreds of live stream viewers worldwide to IBMA, the Ashokan Center, and bluegrass traditions.
Thanks to the generous grant from the IBMA Foundation, we ensured that a financially diverse range of participants could attend Bluegrass Camp. The grant not only helped us meet our inclusivity goals but also enriched the entire experience by bringing together a broad spectrum of bluegrass enthusiasts. The generous support received from the Foundation in 2024 was recognized by acknowledging The IBMA Foundation on our campus signage, The Ashokan Center’s support page , our sponsorship page, and via a social media post. We will also include your logo in our 2024 Annual Report publication.
Thank you for your support!
RETURN to the September 2024 issue of The Cornerstone.
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