For over 20 years, YEAH! has empowered youth through music, fostering artistic expression, personal growth, and a sense of community. Our programs teach not only music skills but also valuable lessons in the music business, helping young people develop life skills like exploration, risk-taking, and confidence. We are committed to ensuring that all youth—regardless of their background—have access to high-quality music education and resources.
This year, we face significant funding challenges. Due to internal issues within Metro Arts, one of our major sources of support, we were unable to secure critical funding. Despite this, our commitment to the community remains strong. To continue offering programs like Rock Block, YEAH! Rocks summer camp, and new workshops, mini camps, and virtual programs, we need to raise $5,000—and we can’t do it without you.
Your donation will directly support scholarships and operating expenses, ensuring we can continue to serve young people in need. With funding across the nonprofit sector shrinking, your contribution is more vital than ever to keep YEAH! thriving.
By adhering to our core values of empowerment, inclusivity, collaboration, and access, we aim to create a lasting and positive impact on the lives of young people. We believe that music can be a transformative force, building self-esteem, creativity, and resilience in youth.
By supporting YEAH!, you’re not just funding music education—you’re investing in the future of young people, helping them realize their full potential. Together, we can create lasting change in our community, one song at a time.
Let’s make sure every youth has the opportunity to discover their voice through the power of music. Please join us in this journey to shape a brighter, more harmonious future!
With your help, we aim to return to full capacity by 2025, serving 60 young people at YEAH! Rocks Summer Camp. Let's make that vision a reality!
DEMOGRAPHICS
Our focus targets historically underserved communities in Metro Nashville, prioritizing low-income families, people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals. In FY23, 27% were persons of color, 40% from lower-income families, 22% with disabilities, 23% LGBTQ+, 62% female, and 54% scholarship recipients. This deliberate approach reflects our commitment to providing inclusive and tailored arts experiences, appreciating the values, challenges, and aspirations of these communities.
EQUITY IN ACTION: How YEAH! embodies equity in our team and programs
Reflective Programming: YEAH! showcases diverse expressions to foster a sense of belonging. Our staff, curriculum, and panels highlight a spectrum of gender, racial, cultural, and ability richness.
Inclusive Planning: Stakeholders and constituents from diverse backgrounds are actively involved in the decision-making process, providing perspective, ensuring relevance, and responding to the needs and interests of our participants. Our curriculum, which includes instrument instruction, workshops, panels, band development, and guest performers, is shaped by a range of voices to promote inclusivity and diversity in our programs.
Scholarships: YEAH! offers partial or full financial assistance to all applicants, ensuring accessibility for individuals from low-income households, rural residents, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Location Accessibility: Our program locations are strategically chosen to ensure accessibility for all participants, regardless of their geographic location or socioeconomic background. This approach fosters collaboration over competition and aligns with our commitment to bridging gaps in arts access, promoting creative expression, building community, and developing essential life skills among all individuals involved in our programs.
Outreach: We engage in bilingual promotion, forge community partnerships, participate in various community events, offer transportation assistance, choose centralized venue locations, provide fair compensation, scholarships, and loaner instruments to further the reach and accessibility of our services.
Training: Cultural competency training enhances understanding of DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility), collaboration, youth wellness and music advocacy among our team members..
Feedback Continuous Improvement: We conduct surveys and maintain continuous conversations with stakeholders to enhance community relationships. Increased focus groups, committees, and alumni involvement strengthen our responsiveness and ensure that our programs remain relevant and strengthen our responsiveness.
2023 camper survey results:
100% increased their skills at playing an instrument or singing.
70% learned or developed skills other than their instrument.
100% would like to continue playing and learning about music.
100% said they collaborated with new people who were different from them in age, musical experience, music taste, or from a different background.
CAMPER TESTIMONIALS
“I learned that everyone has different interests and beliefs so it is really fun to collaborate with different people.”
“My first opportunity enjoying YEAH’s workshops and I was so impressed with the process and focus. Being included, my ideas taken into consideration is empowering when you are 14.”
“Making music allows me to tackle all challenges both mentally and even physically.”
“[songs and their stories] help me through a lot, like bullying, grief, and loneliness.”
CAREGIVER TESTIMONIALS
"I know that this would be a game changer for her, to collaborate with others, gain confidence in her art form, and see where music can take her. She is hungry to learn more about what it takes to be in a band, play instruments, and meet professionals in the industry…. This outlet is extremely important to her because being in middle school is rough and she has shared with me that with her learning disability the only time she really feels inspired or safe to write is when it is about music or in the form of her own personal lyrics."
"We are struggling to make ends meet every month, and having this scholarship is a great opportunity for her to join such an interesting and amazing program."
“We appreciate you offering this opportunity to her to be in a safe environment where she can learn something positive, develop her musical skills, and feel accepted.”
“There are SO many kids that enjoyed your camp and we’d love to have more options to choose from. Just wanted to make sure that you guys know how popular it is in hopes that you might expand the options.”
Your generous support, no matter the size, is deeply valued and will enable YEAH to continue serving our incredible youth at this year's summer camp!
Visit us on our website, on Instagram and YouTube channel!
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