ALL-AGES MOVEMENT PROJECT

Whitney Ballen, 18, has a variety of artistic talents, ranging from painting to making books to writing and performing original songs. For the past four years she’s been able to channel her energies through the Old Firehouse, a teen center in Redmond, WA, that is supported by the All-Ages Movement Project, a network that strives to make music and arts venues accessible to young people who are typically overlooked in favor of the over-21 crowd.

Through the Firehouse and the Project’s connections to other all-ages venues, Whitney has interned at area teen centers and even painted a mural that serves as a stage backdrop. She also has played at benefit shows, such Viva Vera in Seattle, in order to raise money for music and art projects, and at auction shows to raise money for charity projects, such as building wells in impoverished countries.

What’s your definition of youth activism?

I think it’s just youth standing up for what they believe in. There’re so many different institutions that kind of drill different beliefs into our heads just because that’s what we’ve grown up with. But I feel like youth activism is really standing up for what you believe in versus what your school or your family or your religion has taught you.

How has the All-Ages Movement Project benefited you?

Well, definitely knowledge about local music. I gained a lot of friendships through the local scene here in Seattle, as well as knowledge about just like things going on in my community I guess. A lot of all-ages venues around here really support the community through having benefit shows or fundraisers for local companies or local families and such. So I gained a lot of knowledge about what’s around me.

What would be your greatest success?

Last year in April, we released a CD of about 14 local bands, all from my area code, which is 425. And all the bands ranged from 13 to 19 years old, and each of the bands we recorded at the Old Firehouse.

I organized all of that, all the recording and all of the mastering and the mixing, the replication of it and made the CD cover for it, got donations from a lot of local companies to help really put it out. So that’s probably one of the biggest projects I’ve done through the All-Ages Movement. I wouldn’t have ever had the confidence I guess or the help or opportunity to do that if it weren’t for the local support.
.

What effect has technology had on your organization?

Well, I think that not only my projects, but with all kinds of projects within the area, Facebook and MySpace and all those are used so often that it’s kind of hard to advertise something on them. For example, if there’s a band that has a show coming up, everyone will post things, but it’s just like crazy.

It’s a good way of spreading information. … If people see it and they like it, they’re going to get involved. So I think it’s really helped. I think it’s really changed the All-Ages Movement, just a lot more people have been able to find out about it.

www.allagesmovementproject.org

 Y-Press Copyright 2010