UPFRNT is a virtual performance series from Cleveland, OH that seeks to elevate Black voices and provide a safe, paid performance opportunity during COVID-19.

Every 30 minute episode of UPFRNT will feature:

• two musical performances

• an all-styles dance cypher with a live DJ, and

• a spotlight on an organization doing racial justice work in Cleveland

Our emcee, stand-up comic LolBrielle, will set the tone and introduce our audience to the featured artists on each episode, adding an extra layer of engagement and fluidity to the show. 

Our first three episodes will feature music from all across the expansive diaspora of Black music:

• Mourning [A] BLKstar

• WesWill

• Theron Brown Trio

• Smith Taylor

• Mina Aevum

• Freshie

• Theophllus

• 10k Movement dancers

We’re calling on established members of the Cleveland community, and anyone who aligns with our mission, to get this initiative off the ground by funding our project. Your contributions will go directly to paying the 32 amazing Black artists working on our launch. Nearly all of our other production costs are being donated by these three amazing companies:

• Pixel Planet Studios is helping us fulfill our camera crew

• Cleveland Camera Rental is providing us with equipment, and

• Creative House Studios is offering the use of their premiere sound stage

The support we're receiving from these three companies is what allows us to deliver such high production value, while pouring nearly all of our fundraised money directly into the Black arts community; a community that has been disproportionately affected by the impact of COVID-19.

If we can complete our campaign, each episode of UPFRNT will be available to stream for free on YouTube later this year. It is important to us that UPFRNT is accessible to everyone with an internet connection. If people do have money to spend, we want them to donate it to the organizations we spotlight. Part of our mission is to pay artists fairly. We don't want artist's compensation to rely on attendance or be supplemented with "exposure" as it often is. We built our budget around what it would take to pay everyone their asking price, and it's through your contributions that we can live out this part of our mission. Whether big or small, your contribution is a gesture to sustain the arts, provide COVID-19 relief, and build a platform that keeps attention and support focused on the Black community while we continue to work toward racial equality in America. 

We appreciate your support so much and promise to deliver something that will truly stand out and give Cleveland the representation it deserves.