Trombone Shorty Foundation’s Cultural Experiences program is a music industry travel and leadership development program for New Orleans youth ages 14 – 24. Through this experience, youth engage in workshops, cultural exchanges, professional gig experiences, and networking opportunities, while gaining firsthand experience in the music industry. For many of our youth, this program is not only their first time out of the country, but often their first time out of New Orleans or on a plane. This past year, we’ve brought youth to Havana, Cuba; San Francisco, CA; Park City, UT (Park City Song Summit); New York, NY (Soho Sessions); Nashville, TN; Ascona (Switzerland) and Copenhagen, Denmark. Check out the video below for a snapshot of our trip.
As the organization and our Alumni Federation (alumni network) have grown, we have expanded the Cultural Experiences program to provide more New Orleans youth with the opportunity to gain travel experience outside New Orleans. These experiences are week-long tours, where they perform for audiences outside of New Orleans, engage in masterclasses, and visit, meet and network with music industry professionals. The alumni who have taken part in these experiences have noted that it has built their confidence as young musicians, allowing them more opportunities to practice professional touring skills, while expanding their awareness of the music industry outside of New Orleans.