Image via Facebook / Gener8tor Music
The financial efforts to bolster Milwaukee’s music scene are looking great right now, as another artist development platform is looking to help the city’s musicians. Startup accelerator Gener8tor, who previously operated the Backline program with 88Nine Radio Milwaukee, is continuing their efforts as Gener8tor Music with an accelerator aimed at artists and management. The program operates independently from 88Nine, who announced a similar format recently.
Gener8tor’s program expands on the initial Backline format, which previously awarded artists $20,000 grants and a crash course in the music industry. The new program has increased both the stakes and education components, based on artist feedback from the initial work. Gener8tor Music will operate in a tiered system, beginning with 50 artists being selected for a week-long master class series focused on the ins and outs of artist development. From there, the top 10 artists and 10 managers will be selected for a $500 stipend, intended to be used for the initial startup costs of creating a formal LLC and establishing their music-related entities. A final two artists will be selected from that group, with the artists receiving a $25,000 grant, and management receiving $5,000 budgets as well. In addition to that, those two artists and managers will enter a 12-week program to get their respective careers started.
“What we realized is that we have some incredible talent in Milwaukee” said managing director Enrique “Mag” Rodriguez. “It was always very difficult for our national judges to select the final artists. The main feedback that we heard was like ‘man, how can we give these artists more resources once they’ve made it this far.’ So we designed a new program that essentially exists within the judging process.”
In addition to the grant program, Gener8tor Music will also continue to benefit independent musicians overall with informative workshops. Their first, entitled “Creating Content That Connects,” will take place via YouTube on February 11, and feature Sabrina Brazil, content creator for rapper Saweetie, Eli Velez of Jay-Z’s Roc Nation entertainment group, Curtis Roach of TikTok fame, and Milwaukee’s own Steven Philip, aka video director PhillyFlyBoy.
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Currently, Gener8tor Music operates programs in Milwaukee, Cleveland and Detroit. All three programs are accepting applications from now through March 14. You can learn more about the program and artists over the age of 16 can apply at Gener8torMusic.com.
