Community Tracks

As an extension of Bemis Center’s Sound Art + Experimental Music Program, Community Tracks is Bemis’s latest initiative to advance the creation of new work by artists working in experimental forms of sound and music. Offered three times per year (Spring, Summer, Fall), Community Tracks provides artists and musicians currently living in the Omaha Metro area—within an 80-mile radius of Bemis—free access to Bemis’s rehearsal space, recording studio, audio equipment and instruments, and a full-time audio engineer to assist in the recording of new tracks. Participants will receive a $1,000 stipend to assist with related expenses, such as gear rental, mastering, collaborator fees, etc., that may be necessary to complete their projects.

To participate, eligible artists and musicians may apply through an open call application process, which is now open. All applications will be reviewed and selected by Bemis’s Chief Curator and Director of Programs Rachel Adams and Keith Rodger, Bemis’s Sound Program Technician. Applications for Summer 2023 are due by 11:59 PM (CST) on July 28 for the first session, which will take place in late August or early September, depending on the successful applicant's availability. Applicants will be notified no later than August 4, 2023.

Community Tracks is designed to facilitate the creation of new work by experimental musicians and sound artists, providing access to tools, expertise, and facilities that otherwise might be unattainable because of financial, social, geographic, or other barriers. The program aims to spark collaboration between artists and musicians passionate about creating and sharing their work, and to build a greater awareness and appreciation for sound art and experimental music in Omaha and the region. As part of Bemis’s Sound Art + Experimental Music Program, which will celebrate its 5-year anniversary in 2024, Community Tracks is generously supported by the Mellon Foundation.