YDL are at it again! Our team has been busy with grantwriting this season! See story below. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 13, 2014 Library Grants Bring Music to Ypsilanti Shout It Out and Ypsi Song Fest will both return in 2014 Ypsilanti has plenty of homegrown musical talent, and this summer the Ypsilanti District Library will host several programs and performances to support and inspire our local musicians and artists thanks to new funding from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA). The funding includes $2,000 to support the 4th annual Shout It Out, a teen-produced art and music event, as well as $5,250 for the 8th annual Ypsi Song Fest, which brings a renowned songwriter to perform in Ypsilanti and also includes workshops for new and aspiring songwriters. This is the second year in a row that these two programs have received MCACA grants. "Music and the arts are essential pieces of the vibrant communities that we love, and having access to arts education is so important, particularly for young people." Said YDL Assistant Director Lori Coryell. For the second year in a row, the library has hired four teen interns to produce the Shout It Out program. They will spend the summer creating publicity materials, hosting auditions, learning about sound equipment, working on their public speaking skills, and getting ready to host the August 9 concert in Library Plaza. Ypsi Song Fest, which will be held September 13, will include a day-long schedule of free workshops on songwriting and home recording, followed by a performance and interview with featured artist John Doe in downtown Ypsilanti. While they both support developing musical talent, the two events have very different styles. Ypsi Song Fest has developed a folk/Americana vibe over the years, and a lot of the artists, including John Doe, started their careers in the punk rock scene. On the other hand, Shout It Out is driven by the teens that put it on and the music they want to make. In the past, there has tended to be a lot of hip hop and spoken word music, with everything from metal to pop mixed in, depending on the interests of the performers. "Ypsilanti is a wonderfully diverse community and it's great to be able to have music that appeals to such a wide range of people." Said Coryell. "We have such a creative community and we're happy to help push that forward." ### --- Gillian Ream Gainsley Communications and Development Coordinator Ypsilanti District Library ggainsley@ypsilibrary.org<mailto:ggainsley@ypsilibrary.org> 734-879-1303