Fox Valley Music Foundation

THE FOUNDATION'S GOAL IS TO PRESERVE, PROTECT, PROMOTE THE MUSIC OF THE FOX VALLEY (ILLINOIS) AREA. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE, FREE LECTURES, MUSIC DOCUMENTARIES, LIVESTREAM AND PERFORMACE EVENTS. EVENTS ARE HELD IN THE VENUE OPERATED BY THE MUSIC FOUNDATION, AND IN THE ADJACENT MUNDY PARK IN FURTHERANCE OF ITS BROADER NON-PROFIT GOALS.

MUSIC IN MUNDY OUTDOOR CONCERT SERIES THE VENUE WAS FORCED TO CLOSE ITS DOORS FOR INDOOR LIVE CONCERTS IN MARCH 2020. AS A RESULT AN OUTDOOR LIVE CONCERT SERIES WAS CREATED.THE VENUE ENTERED INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE CITY OF AURORA AND WAS ALLOWED TO USE THE ADJACENT GREENSPACE PARK TO HOST LIVE OUTDOOR MUSICAL PERFORMANCES. PERFORMANCES TOOK PLACE DURING THE MONTHS OF JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER ON THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND THE OCCASIONAL SUNDAY WHEN WEATHER PERMITTED. EVENTS WERE SOCIALLY DISTANCED AND AVERAGED APPROXIMATELY 80 ATTENDEES PER EVENT IN THE OUTDOOR PARK. CONCERT GOERS BROUGHT THEIR OWN BAG CHAIRS AND BEVERAGES WERE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE. OVER THE 12 WEEKS, WE PRESENTED 29 OUTDOOR EVENTS.

LIVESTREAM CONCERT SERIES DUE TO THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC THE VENUE WAS FORCED TO CLOSE ITS DOORS FOR LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCES. AS A RESULT, WITH THE HELP OF A TEAM OF AUDIO VISUAL AND SOUND ENGINEER VOLUNTEERS, THE MUSIC FOUNDATION WAS ABLE TO CREATE A PROFESSIONAL, QUALITY 3-CAMERA SHOOT AND LIVESTREAM HIGH QUALITY MUSIC PERFORMANCES WHILE SHUTTERED. NUMEROUS LOCAL BANDS AND SOLO ARTISTS PERFORMED AND WERE STREAMED LIVE FROM THE VENUE STAGE ON MONDAY EVENINGS FROM APRIL THROUGH JULY 2020. PERFORMANCES WERE STREAMED TO FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE. DONATIONS WERE COLLECTED THROUGH PAYPAL AND SPLIT WITH THE PERFORMERS. THIS SERIES ALLOWED DOZENS OUT OF WORK MUSICIANS TO RECEIVE A PORTION OF THE DONATIONS THAT WERE MADE BY VIEWERS. THE LIVESTREAM TOOK A HIATUS FOR SEVERAL WEEKS DURING THE SUMMER AND RESUMED WHEN ILLINOIS GOV. PRITZKER MANDATED TIER 3 MITIGATION MEASURES. THE VENUE RESUMED ITS LIVESTREAM BROADCASTS IN LATE FALL, INCREASING ITS PERFORMANCES TO TWICE A WEEK ON SUNDAY AND WEDNESDAY EVENINGS THROUGH THE END OF 2020 AND BEYOND. IN ADDITION TO SHARING THE ONLINE DONATIONS, THE MUSIC FOUNDATION MADE RECORDINGS OF ALL OF THE LIVESTREAMS AND MADE THEM AVAILABLE TO THE MUSICIANS FOR PROMOTIONAL USE AT NO CHARGE.

THE VENUE FOR VENUES LIVESTREAM SERIES AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, MANY INDEPENDENT VENUES WERE FORCED TO CLOSE FOREVER. THE FOX VALLEY MUSIC FOUNDATION DEVELOPED A MONTHLY LIVESTREAM SERIES THE VENUE FOR VENUES. THE SERIES BEGAN AS A WAY TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE PLIGHT OF ICONIC MUSIC STAGES IN FOX VALLEY, CHICAGO AREA AND BEYOND. EACH INSTALLMENT HAS FEATURED A SYMPOSIUM OF LIVE MUSIC, A HISTORY AND A BRIEF LOOK AT HOS COVID HAS AFFECTED EACH ONE. IT SHOWCASES HOW EACH VENUE HAS ADAPTED AND CHANGED COURSE OVER THE PAST YEAR. THE VENUE HAS SOUGHT TO TELL THESE STORIES, INCLUDING THEIR OWN AND HOW THEY HAVE MANAGED TO SURVIVE AND ADVOCATE FOR MUSICIANS DESPITE THE PANDEMIC AND TEMPORARY CLOSURE. FANS GAIN INSIGHT INTO WHERE WE HAVE BEEN AND WHERE WE ARE GOING AS HOST SCOTT TIPPING CHATS WITH STAFF, KEY VOLUNTEERS AND PERFORMERS. THE SERIES TAKES PLACE ON THE 4TH SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 7PM. DONATIONS ARE COLLECTED VIA PAYPAL AND 100% OF DONATIONS ARE GIVEN TO THE FEATURED VENUE.

THE FOX VALLEY MUSIC FOUNDATION'S PURPOSE IS TO PRESERVE, PROMOTE, PRESENT AND EDUCATE. THEIR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE IS THE FOX RIVER VALLEY AREA OF ILLINOIS. THIS YEAR IN PARTICULAR THROUGH THE USE OF LIVESTREAM PROGRAMMING, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO PRESENT, AND AT THE SAME TIME PRESERVE A VIDEO RECORD OF ALL PERFORMANCES THAT CAN BE USED FOR PROMOTION, NOT ONLY BY THE FOUNDATION, BUT ALSO BY THE ARTISTS THEMSELVES. THIS ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FROM A PRESERVATION STANDPOINT AS IT WILL DOCUMENT EVENTS DURING A WORLD-WIDE PANDEMIC AND WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION. THE FVMF HAS CONTINUED TO PROMOTE AND ADVOCATE FOR MUSICIANS AND OTHER INDEPENDENT VENUES DURING THIS UNPRECEDENTED DISASTER, AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. NOT ONLY ARE WE HELPING MUSICIANS MONETARILY, BUT WE ARE ALSO HELPING TO CREATE AWARENESS, AND PROVIDE NEEDED RESPITE FOR MYRIAD MUSIC LOVERS WHO HAVE BEEN SHELTERING IN PLACE. WITH THE ADVENT OF OUR LIVESTREAM PROGRAMMING WHICH IS BOTH ENTERTAINING AND INFORMATIVE, WE HAVE COLLABORATED WITH LOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS AND HAVE INCREASED OUR AUDIENCE. WHEN THE WORLD IS ABLE TO RETURN TO THE NEW NORMAL, FVMF WILL BE READY TO REOPEN WITH A MORE DIVERSE OFFERING OF BOTH MUSIC AND PROGRAMMING. WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVISE AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ASPIRING MUSICIANS TO PRESENT THEIR MUSIC, LEARN THEIR CRAFT AND SHARE THEIR MUSIC WITH OTHERS. WE WILL CONTINEUE TO HOST AND PROMOTE SONGWRITER WORKSHOPS AND PERFORMANCE PROGRAMS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO ASSIST LOCAL MUSICIANS IN THEDEVELOPMENT OF SOUND ARCHIVAL AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OF THEIR MUSIC THROUGH ADVICE, COUNSEL AND EDUCATION. THE FVMF BOARD AND VOLUNTEER GROUP IS COMPRISED OF INDIVIDUALS WITH LEGAL EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE AND WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THE BUSINESS OF MUSIC. THE VENUE HAS BECOME A TRUE COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACE WHERE BOTH MUSICIANS AND PATRONS CAN GATHER WITH A COMMON PURPOSE. THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND OUR HARDWORKING CORPS OF VOLUNTEERS HAS BEEN A CATALYST AND ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR OUR DOWNTOWN. THE VOLUNTEERS HAVE A SENSE OF PRIDE IN WHAT THEY DO, AND CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE THEIR TIME AND TALENT TO ENSURE THAT THE FVMF AND THE VENUE WILL GO ON DESPITE THE PANDEMIC.