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A vacant sub-basement in an affordable housing building isn’t where most people expect a new theater to bloom — but that’s exactly what happened. In this episode, host Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman welcomes Jaime Martino, Executive Director of Toronto's Tapestry Opera, to share the story behind the new Nancy and Ed Jackman Performance Center, a flexible black box space that seats 100–150 and brings neighbors, artists, and first-timers together in one room.

Jaime walks us through how a modest rehearsal plan evolved into a full venue with a bar, box office, rehearsal studio, and shared offices — powered by community partnerships, city champions, and a clear mission: build access, not barriers.

We dive into the partnership with Nightwood Theatre and explore the decision-making culture that carried the project through three years of design choices, budget tradeoffs, and technical puzzles. Consensus wasn’t slow — it was strengthening. From tiered rental pricing and resident companies to opening traditionally “insider” events to the public, Jaime explains how a venue can become an ecosystem. Today, the space hosts indie rehearsals, mainstage runs, one-night concerts, and soon, commercial events that help subsidize artist use.

We also zoom out to confront the bigger questions facing opera and the arts today — shrinking corporate support, rising costs, and what belonging really means in a legacy-driven field. Jaime’s take is clear: small casts and chamber forces make intimate stories land; multidisciplinary curiosity keeps the form alive; and safety nets enable bold risks. Micro experiences — genuine welcomes, open rehearsals, human-scale venues — turn first visits into lasting relationships.

If you care about cultural infrastructure, community building, and the future of live performance, this conversation offers a practical, hopeful roadmap.

Come see the space, meet the people behind it, and help shape what happens next.

All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube Channel. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman.

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Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.

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What if your performing arts career was built to last—not just to launch? 🎭

In this episode, we sit down with Kaye Kelly—Berklee College of Music professor, singer-songwriter, and author of The Modern Creative: A Practical Guide for 21st Century Artists—to explore how today’s artists can build resilient, values-driven, and financially sustainable careers.

Kaye’s book doubles as a field manual and workbook, and together we unpack her prompts and practices for defining your artistic narrative, mapping multiple income streams, and getting grants within reach.

We trace how the creative landscape has evolved through streaming, the pandemic, and AI—and why artists now thrive by wearing many hats. Kaye shares what professionalism really looks like: reply fast, communicate clearly, show up prepared, and think strategically.

From teaching, arranging, and session work to licensing and arts leadership, we dig into building a portfolio career with both active and passive income. Then we go straight to the money talk—budgeting for unpredictable income, planning for taxes, and starting retirement early.

Community engagement emerges as both a compass and a growth engine. Kaye walks us through ways to connect with local cultural councils, public art initiatives, and small grant programs that align your work with community priorities while expanding your audience.

We close with the habits that protect creativity—silence, privacy, and device discipline—and small rituals like journaling to shift into creative flow.

Forget the starving artist myth. Choose alignment, guard your time, and let your creativity evolve across seasons.

All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube Channel. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman.

Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!

Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.

Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information.

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What if “talent” isn’t rare—and the real scarcity is time, teachers, and belief? We sit down with Anthony (Tony) Mazzocchi, Executive Director of Kaufman Music Centerand Kinhaven Music School, to unpack how raising expectations and resourcing music education can reset a community’s cultural life. Tony traces his journey from trombonist and freelancer to a decade inside a Brooklyn public school, where a rigorous, well-supported band program revealed what students can do when adults stop underestimating them. That experience now fuels a mission-first strategy at Kaufman: Merkin Hall as a living classroom, Lucy Moses School as a true community hub, and Special Music School—the nation’s only K–12 public school with music embedded daily—delivering academic results that rival its artistic ones.

We dig into the structural headwinds: shrinking early access, budget pressures, and a national teacher shortage that’s quietly closing programs even when money exists. Then we get practical about engagement. If the first run club can feel intimidating without pace groups and a welcome, imagine a first concert with no context. We trade tactics to make newcomers feel seen—first-timer meetups, simple explainers, artist Q&As, and food-and-music pairings that translate feeling into flavor without flattening the art. Anthony also spotlights Kinhaven’s new boarding program, a 50–50 music/academics model that turns festival immersion into a school-year reality, opening doors with a tuition-free pilot and a collaborative ethos.

Throughout, we return to a simple idea with big consequences: music is for everyone when the pathway is clear and the bar is high. In a world quickly being reshaped by AI, the concert hall can model human skills we need more than ever—listening, empathy, and shared leadership. If you care about music education, arts access, or the next generation of audiences, this conversation sheds light on what’s possible when belief meets support.

If it resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who works in arts education, or someone who has young kids.

All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube Channel. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman.

Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!

Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.

Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information.