A state-of-the-art center for young people from all nations to come together to learn, create, perform, celebrate, and be inspired by music, in all of its forms.
“The Palace” will become the “spiritual home” of music education, nurturing the creative spark that lives in all budding artists and building bridges across cultures, supported by the greatest musical talent in the world today.
THE VENUE
We have identified what we believe to be the perfect venue to bring our Vision to life, deep in the heart of downtown Hollywood. The historic building that inspired this Dream stands vacant, waiting for the right Leadership and Team to bring together the Vision, financing, political willpower, determination, and TLC required to renovate and restore this faded gem to its’ former glory. We believe the Kids Palace is that Vision and Team.
Once renovated, our Vision is that the Palace and our Programs will occupy the lower floors, with the interior renovated into classrooms, studios, sound stages, and offices. Space will be set aside for revenue-generating commercial ventures, including perhaps a street-level café, as well as performing arts venues that can be booked by the general public for performances, rehearsals, conferences, screenings, and other events. We envision a boutique hotel and high-end restaurant residing on the upper floors, offering short-term living quarters for visiting artists, performers, and other industry luminaries, as well as an ongoing revenue stream to fund our musical programs.
THE PROGRAMS
Our catalogue of the programs to be offered at The Palace will continue to evolve and grow, and we expect this growth will continue as we attract a growing team of talented and creative visionaries to our cause.
Here is a small sample of programs we anticipate offering:
- One-on-one and group music lessons,
- Building and developing bands and ensembles,
- Courses on music theory, history, styles, etc.
- Courses on sound system design, recording, sound mixing, etc.
- Courses on stagecraft and lighting
- Instruction on instrument fabrication, craft, and maintenance,
- Seminars open to the public on music-related topics,
- Visiting performers and artists-in-residence programs
- Music library
- Musical instrument lending library
- Instruction for music teachers on music education techniques,
- Internships
- Partnership/relationship with industry organizations and/or other musical education institutions,
- Courses on the business of music,
- Musical performances (of course) and a variety of performance facilities
THE STAKEHOLDERS
The Kids:
First and foremost, our Vision all about the Kids – creating a place where young people from all walks of life and all levels of musical talent can come together and feed their budding passion for music, regardless of their financial means. We do believe that music can change the world for the better.
The City of Los Angeles:
The City, business community, and residents alike will reap tremendous benefits from having a state-of-the-art music and performing arts educational facility breathing new life into the downtown Hollywood area, and attracting visitors from around the world.
The Music Industry:
Many of the brightest stars in the music industry are engaged (or interested) in programs for “giving back.” These programs range from countless benefit concerts to hands-on mentoring of up-and-coming generations of musical talent. With a prime location in the heart of the performing arts world, proximity to internationally known performance venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, and countless industry luminaries living and working nearby, “The Palace” will be uniquely positioned to serve as clearing house and host for visiting artists and musical programs of all varieties.
THE ORGANIZATION
We are in the process of forming a California non-profit corporation and applying for exemption from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Once approved, the Foundation will be authorized to collect tax deductible contributions under section 170 of the code.
The Foundation will be governed by an independent Board of Directors, with day-to-day operations managed by an Executive Director to be named. Various Program Managers and staff will be hired, as well as administrative staff and service providers. We envision that the Foundation will be funded by a combination of up-front endowment, ongoing fundraising and development efforts, grants, industry sponsorships, fees for educational and experiential programs offered to the general public, proceeds from operation of the boutique hotel and restaurants, and fees from public events held at the various on-site venues for performances, rehearsals, screenings, and conferences.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Our mission at this stage is to attract like-minded supporters, like you, to build a movement and raise the substantial funds required to make this Vision a reality. Please join us today by providing your email address, so we can send you periodic updates on our progress, and let you know how you can become involved. Be sure to check back on this website periodically for new developments, and also please share a link to us with your friends!
A word from Josephine Swan:
Voice Over courtesy of Frogville Studios, Sante Fe, New Mexico and Studio Engineer: Bill Palmer
