We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rebecca Trujillo Vest; Jordan Stobbe; Carls Woolf a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Rebecca Trujillo Vest; Jordan Stobbe; Carls Woolf, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
We would say the founding of Pandion Music Foundation (PMF) a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in 2022 by the three of us. We are spread across three continents but joined by our dedication to fostering growth in the music creator community. PMF recognizes that many independent and emerging artists do not have the access to the resources or networks that are required to build their careers. To help change this situation Pandion offers free, weekly online programs for artists ranging from such topics as songwriting, production, music licensing, and sync agencies among others. PMF was created to provide real-world tools and nurture the music creator community across all lines of diversity and inclusion.
We also benefit from a dynamic, women-led Board of Directors that includes: PMF Board Treasurer Candice Rosales, Director Development, New Roads School; and PMF Board Members Seven McDonald, producer and award-winning journalist; Abby Wills, co-founder of Shanti Generation and mindfulness educator; and Margaret Yen, a GRAMMY-winning documentary filmmaker who recently launched Win Win Pictures, a new company with director Lindsay Utz. I (Rebecca) am CEO/Programs Director and PMF Board Chair.
To register for upcoming PMF weekly workshops visit: pandionmusicfoundation.org/upcoming-events/. Participants can opt out at any time. Benefits also include access to replays of PMF’s programs and an informative, industry-based newsletter. Replays of past Pandion Unplugged wellness sessions are available on PMF Facebook and Instagram platforms. Since PMF’s launch, programming has expanded greatly and increased 250% over the past 6 months alone. Audience engagement has increased annually for Facebook (close to 90%) and Instagram (close to 120%); Mailchimp subscribers represent a 525% rise.
Last year, we launched an awareness campaign called Grateful November. As a relatively young nonprofit, we were inspired that our mission and programs are being embraced by music creators around the U.S. and across the globe. Undoubtedly, this November is a time of change. We are continuing Grateful November to underscore that it can also be a time to reflect on the past 12 months and the inspirations and challenges they have brought. As music people, we are geared to seek inspiration and confront challenges in our careers.
And so, we invite our PMF community to contemplate gratitude and its manifestation in their creative output over the past twelve months. For PMF, Grateful November will culminate on Giving Tuesday, the global day of giving back (this year December 3), and mark the launch of our year-end campaign to raise funds to continue to deliver workshops, replays, and other initiatives free of charge to our community. As we close out 2024 and enter the New Year, we ask readers to consider a gift of any size to support our work.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Readers should know that there are exciting ways to help us broaden our PMF network for the benefit of all–through PMF Community Ambassadors and PMF Advocates.
Community Ambassadors are excited to volunteer and help spread the word about Pandion’s mission, workshops and resources on social media and at in-person gatherings by:
● Wearing Pandion swag proudly
● Attending at least one online workshop per quarter, and invite and encourage friends and colleagues to attend as well.
● Starting at least one online fundraiser on Facebook or Instagram (examples include but are not limited to: birthday fundraisers or Giving Tuesday fundraisers)
● Helping fundraise in your own way by choosing Pandion as your charity of choice to donate partial profits from your own fundraisers or events!
● Volunteering alongside PMF staff to help out with an in-person event in your area or a virtual event. This could be anything from posting flyers to helping plan an online music-marathon.
● Your imagination is the limit!
Pandion Advocates are engaged by their support of independent musicians and the desire to encourage their ability to create more sustainable careers. PMF Advocates provide a higher level of support for Pandion by making larger donations, regular monthly donations, or helping with scaled fundraising efforts. Please consider joining us as a Pandion Advocate to:
● Spread the word about Pandion’s mission, workshops and resources
● Wear Pandion swag proudly
● Give a monthly donation of $11 (the equivalent of 3 lattes) or annual gifts to fund one or more workshops (equal to $150 each)
● Attend, sponsor, or help secure a sponsor for our annual fundraiser galas
● Contribute to/set up matching funds for a special fundraiser, such as Sync-O-Thon or Giving Tuesday
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
It comes down to one simple, but powerful word: community. Community means just that—a place that brings people together for the benefit of the greater good. For musicians, community can provide a host of resources from collaborators, and performance opportunities to sources of career information, new technology, and potential representation.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
The flip side of community is an ecosystem of wellness within the creative community to help sustain it. That is a resounding commitment of PMF and one that you’ll be hearing more about in 2025. We invite readers to register now for our free programs and stay tuned for future news.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pandionmusicfoundation.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pandionmusicfoundation/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PandionMusicFoundation; https://www.facebook.com/groups/pandionmusicfoundationcreatorscircle
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pandion-music-foundation/posts/?feedView=all
- Other: Community Ambassadors–https://pandionmusicfoundation.org/community-ambassadors/
Pandion Advocates–https://pandionmusicfoundation.org/advocates/
Image Credits
Courtesy of Pandion Music Foundation (c) 2024