Grant Writing: Songsmith LA

My name is Bobby Apperson, and I am the Founder & Director of Songsmith LA, a budding music school and community of artists and creators in Los Angeles, California. We began in 2017 out of a need to serve a larger range of clientele after my private music teaching practice grew too large. I have a talent for teaching in an accessible, modern way, and our school has always been about the larger, creative community of songwriters, producers, actors, and artists that make up LA. We aren’t a typical conservatory; it’s not just classical music. In fact most of my small team are songwriters, and we teach chords and songwriting to all our students—something that sets us apart.

We just reopened our doors physically a month ago in East Hollywood, a lower-income area adjacent to the hip, central corridor of Hollywood / Los Feliz. Here we provide our staple music lessons to kids and adults alike, and are branching out into some exciting things: Events, more services, and a small storefront for instruments, music and creative gifts, and merch for artists and shows. We’ve already had our first open mic nights - 35 people at our first event! - and are working hard to secure more funding as we grow. We’re so excited to be not just a school but a destination, and think this hybrid approach is key. Most schools are closed on weekends and most venues are closed during the day, so we aim to have diverse programming, workshops, and lessons at different times to be able to serve a larger wedge of the working populace.

Things have not been easy for any business, and we are no exception. We had just moved to a new small space in Hollywood in March 2020 and were open there for maybe a week when the shutdown happened. These three years of virtual lessons and working from student and teacher homes have been hard, and we almost didn’t make it. Our visibility at the new commercial location is key to rebuilding. We are excited for what comes next!

All our staff, including myself, have multiple roles and talents, and like many artists we all do multiple jobs. We aim to draw from the diverse local community, especially our songwriter community, as we reintroduce ourselves to the city and add much-needed staff and gear. And we hope to soon offer small scholarships to families who otherwise can’t access the joy of music education.

Songsmith has changed my life; owning my own business, however small, has been empowering, eye-opening, and inspiring. I’m so eager for the year to come! Thank you for considering supporting and enabling our work. A grant will aid us in offering a wider variety of programs in an accessible way and to more people, including those unable to access the arts in their day-to-day lives. It will put us one step closer to being a true events hub and making the arts more accessible. We have great momentum and a joyous community eager for what's next. Thank you for being a part of that and for considering us for your program!