After the 2023 Governor's Arts & Humanities Award ceremony, we sat down with a number of the recipients to find out what inspires their work. Each of these artists embody the mission of Amplify Alaska, using their art and passion for culture to support and uplift their communities. The conversation centered on the power of gathering, and how community and communication empowers people. We talked about how cultural education encourages cross-cultural and interpersonal connection, rather than separation, which in turn leads to positive forward change.

Learn more about the recipients and their work at www.akgovawards.org/awards.

Our guests from left to right:

• Yngvil Vatn Guttu, Host of Amplify Alaska
• Pedro Garcia Quintana and Jenny Moore - Hope Studios: Arts Business Leadership Award
• Heather Lende: 2021-2023 Alaska State Writer Laureate
• Edward K. Thomas (President Emeritus CCTHITA): Distinguished Service to the Humanities in Community Award
• Ayaprun Loddie Jones (Elder, Teacher, Lower Kuskokwim School District): Distinguished Service to the Humanities in Education Award
• Marjorie Kunaq Tahbone (Inupiaq/Kiowa culture bearer): Margaret Nick Cooke Award for Alaska Native Arts and Languages
• John Damberg (Founder, CEO Alaska Jazz Workshop): Individual Artist Award

This episode of Amplify Alaska was recorded in The Crystal Saloon, Juneau's new and unique music venue and bar. Taylor Vidic, the Stage and Marketing Manager for The Crystal Saloon, explains how the physical space works to support music and musicians in its community, and tells the story of how she grew and developed her producing skills to land in her current role.

She also shares her plans for the Rasmuson Grant for music composition she received last year: recording her first full-length album of original songs inspired by Southeast Alaska. Taylor's album is in the works and will be coming out later in 2023. You can keep in touch with Taylor by visiting her website, taylorvidic.com.

Amplify Alaska returns to The Crystal Saloon on May 20th for an in-person and livestreamed fundraiser supporting Áak'w Rock Indigenous Music Festival. Taylor, who is also the Production Manager for Áak’w Rock, will be there. She and other artists from this season of Amplify Alaska will perform from 5-9pm. Don’t miss it!

AMPLIFY ALASKA GOES TO JUNEAU - May 20 @ The Crystal Saloon and live-streamed online!⁠ All proceeds from this mini-music festival will go to Áak'w Rock, the States' only Indigenous music festival. Many of the artists featured on this season of Amplify Alaska will be there, performing live! Don't miss out! Learn more about Áak'w Rock on their website: ⁠https://aakwrockfest.com/⁠ TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW! - ⁠https://givebutter.com/aakwrock⁠ To learn more about Amplify Alaska, head on over to amplifyalaska.org, or find us on Instagram and Facebook! Huge thanks to our sponsors who make what we do possible: GCI, the Atwood Foundation, Northern Culture Exchange and Frostline Studios.

In this episode, Annie introduces us to her debut album, Sisters of White Chapel, a collection of songs based on the narratives of women who came north during the Klondike Gold Rush, which morphed into a play of the same name. She and Yngvil discuss using history as an inspiration and a source for work that touches on modern social issues—like the #MeToo Movement—and how using history as an inspiration continues dialogues about topics such as sex work, labor, and resource extraction.

The album, Sisters of White Chapel, comes out on June 16th. In the meantime, you stay up to date about the project, and get a sneak peak of a couple of the songs by visiting www.klondikegoldrushsongs.com.

Recorded the day after the 2023 AKIMI Music Summit in Juneau, this episode's guest is Marian Call, lead organizer of the January Summit.

She and Yngvil examine what is unique about Alaska's music scene; it allows artists to stay true to themselves as they find and develop their own special niche in the artistic landscape. They also talk about the need for better data curation surrounding the Alaskan music scene—which led to the creation of the Alaska Playlist Project as a way for artists to take back control of the music sector and get their music out to more people. In today's difficult global circumstances, creating music is a way to create a collaborative and positive vision for the future. 

Singer-songwriter Marian Call is the Program Director for AKIMI. She makes her home in Juneau, Alaska. She has released 12 albums since 2007, and performed countless  well-received concerts  during years of touring in all fifty United States, Canada, Europe, and the UK. Her most recent EP, Swears!, is available now on Bandcamp, Spotify, iTunes, and wherever you enjoy streaming music. You can check out more of her music and what she's been up to on her website and on Bandcamp.

Witty Youngman’s new single "Forget-Her-Not" is an outstanding example of music hitting at the heart of a burning social issue. The song deals with the distressing subject of missing and murdered Indigenous women.

In this episode of Amplify Alaska, Anchorage based Witty and Lisa Hawkins discuss how music creation and performance build community and connection. The connection can sometimes be complicated when the conversation is difficult…

The episode also reveals how Witty, a descendant of King Island Inupiat and an enrolled member of the Fort Peck Dakota tribe, embraces the digital world, in order to be in business as a professional musician.

Witty's EP, Forget-Her-Not, is nearing completion. The titular song,  is available now on Bandcamp. You can find out what Witty's up to by visiting their website, badfishruca.com.

-- AMPLIFY ALASKA GOES TO JUNEAU - May 20 @ The Crystal Saloon and online!

All proceeds from this concert will go to Áak'w Rock, the States' only Indigenous music festival. Many of the artists featured on this season of Amplify Alaska will be there, performing live! Don't miss out!

Learn more about Áak'w Rock on their website: https://aakwrockfest.com/

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW! - https://givebutter.com/aakwrock

--

To learn more about Amplify Alaska, head on over to amplifyalaska.org, or find us on Instagram and Facebook! Huge thanks to our sponsors who make what we do possible: GCI, the Atwood Foundation, Northern Culture Exchange and Frostline Studios.

Qacung Blanchett of the Inuit-soul music group Pamyua (and the Cultural Heritage Education Manager for Central Council Tlingit & Haida, board member of Advancing Indigenous Performance program by the Western Arts Alliance, and advocate for Alaska Native people and artists...) chats with Yngvil Vatn Guttu about being civically active musicians -- artists who are using their passion for culture and community to make a difference everywhere they can, from their personal to professional lives. They also discuss the serendipitous origins of Áak'w Rock Indigenous Music Festival and how to make a living as a full time artist in Alaska. You can check out what Qacung and Pamyua are up to by visiting their website, pamyua.com.

To learn more about Amplify Alaska, head over to amplifyalaska.org, or find us on Instagram and Facebook!

Huge thanks to our sponsors who make what we do possible: GCI, the Atwood Foundation, Northern Culture Exchange and Frostline Studios.

Welcome back to Amplify Alaska! 

In today's podcast we meet artist Trinity Colvin and event coordinator Andrea Antoine (BBAAD Productions), Alaskans with a passion for music and community. From music opportunities to the need for more diversity within music venues in the state, Yngvil, Trinity and Andrea discuss some interesting things!

To learn more about Amplify Alaska, head over to amplifyalaska.org, or find us on Instagram and Facebook!

Huge thanks to our sponsors who make what we do possible: GCI, the Atwood Foundation, Northern Culture Exchange and Frostline Studios.

SPENARD JAZZ FESTIVAL MAY 31 - JUNE 5 | Buy your tickets today! 

https://www.spenardjazzfest.org/ 

Spenard Jazz Fest is a multidisciplinary arts festival that celebrates music across all genres, with one emphasis on jazz, and another on Alaska. In its 15th year, Spenard Jazz Fest 2022 will feature emerging local music stars, incredible Outside artists, and many established Anchorage/Alaska greats.  

Amplify Alaska Check out our website: https://amplifyalaska.org/ 

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