Skrappys

Last updated
Skrappy's Tucson Youth Collective
Skrappy's
2006frontofskrappys.jpg
200px
Former namesSkrappy's Tucson Youth Center
Location Tucson, Arizona
Owner Kathy Wooldridge
Type Music venue and recreation center
Capacity 50 (as of January 2009)
Construction
Opened1995
Renovated2002
Expanded2009
Website
skrappystyc.org

Skrappy's is a youth-run, youth-oriented performing arts and after-school center as well as an all ages music venue, performance space and community hub located in downtown Tucson, Arizona. Starting off as a place for house shows for youth and by youth, it is billed as a drug-free, positive environment that encourages expression and youth culture. Skrappy's specializes in live music, music and art classes, visual art, printing, photography, writing, publishing, activism, organizing, civic engagement and empowerment, and as an open drop in - providing food, clothing and other services.

Contents

History (1995-2005)

Skrappy's has existed in some capacity since 1995, when it was founded by current proprietor, Kathy Wooldridge. In addition to hosting national bands (such as Botch, Fall Out Boy, Give Up the Ghost), a wide variety of local Tucson artists and small bands have played nearly nightly since its inception. As an alcohol-free haven, teens can listen to music and socialize. Over the years the service offerings have grown and expanded along with the networking. Besides the regular live shows featuring a mix of local and touring bands for which it is best known, Skrappy's offers job opportunities, drug counseling, classes and emergency clothing, blankets and shelter. Since 2002, Skrappy's has operated under the umbrella of Our Family Services (formally known as Our Town Family Center), a community service-based nonprofit social services providing agency. Skrappy's is nationally recognized as a model of positive youth development and civic engagement and offers a variety of programs from dance, film-making and art classes to health fairs and a host of volunteering opportunities.

More than a place for music - Skrappy's is a youth community; a safe, positive, drug and alcohol free environment where young people can freely express themselves through music, theatre, art, journalism, dance, and lifestyles. Skrappy's encourages youth to embrace who they are and helps them achieve their goals. Young people involved at Skrappy's learn valuable life and social skills. Whether they are helping run the center, playing in a band or participating in a class activity, they increase their self-esteem, refine leadership skills and strengthen their sense of community. Skrappy's is based on a "do-it-yourself" ethic, where young people have ownership of the program. It is a place to be heard, a place to grow, a place where young people give each other the support, acceptance, love and family structure that may be missing in their lives. Skrappy's was founded in the mid-1990s by a group of youth and adults dedicated to a dream of establishing a regular venue for underground or independent music in Tucson, Arizona. As a music venue, Skrappy's saw the rise of many Tucson native bands such as The Bled, Versus the Mirror, Blues, The American Black Lung, Line of Fire, The Mean Reds, Beyond the Citadel of Coup de Grace and many others.

Skrappy's involvement

Art Classes at Old Pueblo Children's Academy

In January 2006, youth from Skrappy's began volunteering at Old Pueblo Children's Academy which is a kindergarten through eighth grade charter school. Originally, youth would go to the school once a week and work with two grades at a time, using art as a means to teach creative expression, conflict resolution, listening and communication skills. In August 2006, youth began volunteering there twice a week. It is an excellent opportunity for the youth to give back to some of the neediest sectors of the community. The students form trusting relationships with the volunteers and learn important life skills, while the volunteers gain valuable training in mentoring, communication, patience, being part of a community, as well as career training for those interested in education or social services.

Project Contact

This is a program funded in part by the United States Department of Health and Human Services through the Arizona Family Planning Council that offers pregnancy testing, birth control, STI and HIV testing and emergency contraception. Three times a year, Project Contact puts on an event at Skrappy's offering free STI and HIV testing. The events educate youth on family planning, physical and emotional health, and connects them to further resources as well as giving them a chance to discuss openly and in a mature way issues that in other places are considered taboo.

Wrap It Up Jam

Once a year in the month of December, Planned Parenthood and Skrappy's hosts the Wrap It Up Jam in recognition of World AIDS Day. Free STI and HIV testing are offered, along with emergency contraception. The event educates youth on personal health and tolerance. By opening dialogue, it helps to make youth more conscientious and responsible world citizens.

Project Safe Place

Skrappy's is one of many sites in Pima County for Safe Place, the national runaway prevention and intervention program for those under 18 and in crisis. During the month of November, Skrappy's hosts an event in honor of National Runaway Prevention Month. Although the event changes yearly (2007 was youth art, musical performances, and movie screenings), the focus is on bringing to light the issue of youth runaways and homelessness. The youth involved come together from a variety of organizations to promote awareness of a prevalent problem and the myriad causes that lead to it.

Volunteering with Community Service Youth

As a volunteer at Skrappy's, there are many opportunities to assist with the daily activities of this downtown youth-run activity and performing arts center. To socialize and receive help with connecting with community services. Depending on the age and availability of youth, these could include assisting in the café, charging front door during shows, security, sound managing, stage managing, band booking, helping with civic or after-school activities, and mentoring other youth.

Skrappy's provides an excellent opportunity for kids on probation or who have community service to learn responsibility, life skills, and proper work ethic while at the same time exposing them to an alternative way to spend their time even after their service is over. Community service youth have the opportunity to volunteer in any of the aforementioned areas and can come out of it with the same life and career skills as other youth. These youth become connected to the Skrappy's community and in turn become connected to the larger community.

The youth at Skrappy's learn numerous life and job skills, leadership and social skills, how to research, communication skills, self-esteem, conflict resolution, educational opportunities, parenting skills, mentoring, volunteering in their communities, the arts, freedom of expression and passion through voice, friendship, youth and adult relationships, customer service, basic bookkeeping, inventory, responsibility, and employment. In the end they become proactive citizens involved in their community.


Closing of locations

In 2002, on the brink of closure, Skrappy's was temporarily relocated about two miles south of its 201 E. Broadway Blvd. location, behind a bread factory in an industrial area of Tucson. In 2003, a public grant allowed the venue to continue its existence at its original location. In 2005, Skrappy's was nearly shut down when a fight broke out after a show due to the actions of a few FSU members, resulting in a man's death along with injuries to others. [1] City officials were quick to come to the venue's rescue, and another grant allowed it to continue its existence. Since opening in 1995, Skrappy's has been in over five locations with Broadway being its longest place of headquarters.

Skrappy's (2006-)

In 2006, more than 16,000 young people walked through Skrappy's doors seeking self-expression, community engagement and a safe, stimulating, drug and alcohol-free environment. About 4,800 of those received services from Our Family's outreach staff in the form of food, clothing or referrals to other resources in the community. In 2006, more than 29,000 at-risk children, youth, families, seniors and disabled adults used the services which include counseling, education, housing, mediation and help for people in crisis. Aside from hosting shows, Skrappy's involved teens in break dancing classes, film and theater projects, training in art, karate, literacy, GPS mapping, sewing and fashion design. Skrappy's in effect became an urban park and after-school program deserving of public support. Skrappy's continued to have its usual shows until winter of that year when they were given a 90-day eviction notice. Their stay extended until the summer of 2007 with their last show at 201 E. Broadway Blvd in August. They moved out in September to Big Brothers Big Sisters' basement down the street and continued to provide services, but stopped doing shows. Skrappy's had the opportunity to move back to the industrial area near the bread factory on 17th street as a permanent location, but because of the lack of parking spaces required by the city and an unwelcoming neighborhood for youth, Skrappy's had no choice but to stay at Big Brothers Big Sisters. As a music venue, Skrappy's is an important pillar of Tucson's music scene and from a youth perspective, much of the scene's development has been focused around Skrappy's.

In 2008, Skrappy's found what seemed to be a home at 91 E. Toole Avenue, but because the building was not up to code and as a result, Skrappy's was homeless again. But the team of Skrappy's still did projects outside of a building, meeting at the houses of team members, collaborating with the University of Arizona and city officials of Tucson.

As of January 2009, Skrappy's relocated to 191 E. Toole Avenue in downtown Tucson, Arizona where it is in the development of construction - hoping to begin classes early in the summer and begin booking for shows late summer/early fall 2009.

Skrappy's Tucson Youth Collective

Skrappy's is now synonymous with Tucson Youth Collective (TYC), a board of youth making choices for the youth of Tucson. It is also a group of projects such as:

Staples and Stitches: Skrappy's all-ages venue's design school aimed at teaching basic sewing skills and D.I.Y. design to youth. With Staples and Stitches, there is an opportunity to learn the skills to enable them to make their own clothing, design and create themselves in every way possible and feels that real fashion does not need to be dictated by Vogue magazine, seasons, trends, size, gender, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. Staples and Stitches was founded by Lizz Denneau in 2008 as a part of Skrappy's.

Skrap Yard Recordings: a recording studio used by Skrappy's to record bands, founded in 2007 by Michael Patton (not the well-known singer, Mike Patton) with Kathy Wooldridge.

Desert Distro: A D.I.Y. distribution center of records, CDs, clothing, movies and more. Desert Distro was founded by Chris Coco in 2008 as a part of Skrappy's Tucson Youth Collective.

There will be more classes and places of interest gathered for TYC throughout 2009 such as art karate, breakdancing, film classes and much more.

Related Research Articles

The music of Arizona began with Indigenous music of North America made by Indigenous peoples of Arizona. In the 20th century, Mexican immigrants popularized Banda, corridos, mariachi and conjunto. Other major influences come from styles popular throughout the rest of the United States.

Apponequet Regional High School, located at 100 Howland Road in Lakeville, Massachusetts opened September 21, 1959. Apponequet serves secondary academic education students from the towns of Freetown, and Lakeville. It is the only high school within the Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tucson Convention Center</span> Convention center in Arizona

The Tucson Convention Center is a large multi-purpose convention center located in downtown Tucson, Arizona. Built in 1971, the location includes an 8,962-seat indoor arena, two performing arts venues, and 205,000 square feet (19,000 m2) of meeting space. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.

The National Youth Orchestras of Scotland (NYOS) has a vision where all the communities access world-class ensemble youth music and share in its social, personal, and cultural benefits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Vera Project</span> Arts organization in Seattle

The Vera Project, or VERA, is an all-ages, non-profit youth arts organization in Seattle, Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kely Support Group</span>

KELY Support Group is a non-governmental bilingual organisation in Hong Kong which aims to provide support to youth between the ages of 14 and 24. Its programmes and services focus on prevention and intervention of alcoholism and other drug abuse, and are designed to tackle what the group regards as the common reasons for abuse such as boredom, peer pressure, lack of self-awareness, low self-esteem, poverty, unemployment and discrimination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fox Tucson Theatre</span> Historic performance space in Tucson, Arizona, US

The Fox Tucson Theatre is located in downtown Tucson, Arizona, United States. The theater opened on April 11, 1930 as a performance space in downtown Tucson. It hosts a wide spectrum of events and concerts featuring a variety of performing talent, ranging from ballets, to jazz, contemporary pop, world music and rock acts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Davis (bassist)</span> American musician

Michael Davis was an American bass guitarist, singer, songwriter and music producer, best known as a member of the MC5.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UK Hand Knitting Association</span>

The UK Hand Knitting Association (UKHKA) is a not-for-profit British organisation dedicated to promoting hand knitting in the UK. Through a variety of initiatives and the assistance of a nationwide network of volunteers who pass on their skills, the UKHKA focus on ensuring a vibrant future for all aspects of yarn crafts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erskine Academy</span> School in South China, Kennebec, Maine, United States

Erskine Academy is a private high school located in South China, Maine that serves eight surrounding towns. The campus occupies about 25 acres (100,000 m2) of land and includes several academic buildings as well as various athletic fields. The school's motto is "Mens Sana in Corpore Sano". Erskine Academy's school colors are blue and white, and an eagle is the school's mascot.

Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC) is a combined cultural and social services campus in Southeast Washington, D.C. The campus consists of three connected buildings, playgrounds, basketball courts and public spaces. In May 2007, THEARC won the Urban Land Institute's Award for Excellence and was cited for its contribution to the community, response to societal needs, innovation, public/private partnership and environmental protection and enhancement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Children's Festival at Wolf Trap</span> Youth-oriented festival

The International Children's Festival at Wolf Trap was a youth-oriented festival dedicated to the performing, visual, and interactive arts. The festival is held each September at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Fairfax County, Virginia, which is the United States' only national park devoted solely to the performing arts. First conceived in 1971 as "International Children's Day", the festival provides opportunities for children to share aspects of their culture through the arts. The idea and impetus for the festival came from Joan C. Blair, also on the Fairfax County Arts Council. She convinced the founder of the Wolf trap National Park for Performing Arts, Catherine Filene Shouse, to support the festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pima County Public Library</span> Public libraries in Arizona, United States

The Pima County Public Library (PCPL) system serves Pima County, Arizona, with a main library and 26 branch libraries as well as a bookmobile service. The system has its headquarters in Tucson with a service area including the city and the surrounding communities of Arivaca, Green Valley, Sahuarita, South Tucson, Ajo, Vail, Marana, Casas Adobes, and Catalina. The town of Oro Valley's library joined the Pima County Public Library system in July 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicano art movement</span> Movements by Mexican-American artists

The Chicano Art Movement represents groundbreaking movements by Mexican-American artists to establish a unique artistic identity in the United States. Much of the art and the artists creating Chicano Art were heavily influenced by Chicano Movement which began in the 1960s.

Youth in Focus is a non-profit youth photography organization in Seattle, Washington that offers photography classes for youth in order to help young people develop skills and attitudes to overcome barriers they face and support them on their journey to a positive adulthood.

Iskashitaa Refugee Network is a grass roots organization based in Tucson, Arizona, that partners with volunteers and local organizations to provide various supplemental services to refugees to complement those offered by resettlement agencies. The organization was founded by Dr. Barbara Eiswerth, who holds a Ph.D. in Arid Lands Resource Management, and is currently directed by Eiswerth. Iskashitaa has a number of programs designed to empower refugees and unite them with staff and volunteers from the community. A primary component of these programs is gleaning, or harvesting unwanted produce from property owners and commercial farmers. Iskashitaa's gleaning efforts have grown from harvesting a few thousand pounds of fruit each year to over 100,000 pounds annually of fruit, nuts, and vegetables: a cumulative one million servings of local produce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexican American Studies Department Programs, Tucson Unified School District</span> Educational program

The Mexican American Studies Department Programs (MAS) provide courses for students attending various elementary, middle, and high schools within the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD). Some key components of the MAS program include student support, curriculum content, teacher professional development, and parent and community involvement. In the past, programs helped Chicana/o and Latina/o students graduate, pursue higher education, and score higher test scores. A study found that "100 percent of those students enrolled in Mexican-American studies classes at Tucson High were graduating, and 85 percent were going on to college."

Weird Canada is a blog that celebrates Canadian emerging music, literature, spaces, ideas, and art. It was founded in 2009 by Aaron Levin and Marie LeBlanc-Flanagan in Edmonton, Alberta.

KTDT-LP is a low-power FM radio station on 99.1 FM in Tucson, Arizona. Known as “Downtown Radio”, the station is owned and operated by LPFM Downtown Tucson, a non-profit LLC. The station format is rock Monday through Saturday and other genres, including talk, on Sunday. The purpose of the station is to provide an alternative to corporate radio and DJs have the freedom to play songs that aren't typically heard on corporate radio. Both the station and LLC were founded by Jason LeValley, who served as the executive director from its launch date of September 13, 2015, to December 30, 2019. The station is currently operated by an unpaid staff of over 50 volunteers, under the guidance of an all-volunteer board of directors.

Gladstone State High School is a coeducational public secondary school based in West Gladstone, a suburb of Gladstone in the Gladstone Region in Queensland, Australia. The school has a total enrolment of more than 1500 students per year, with an official count of 1552 students in August 2020.

References

  1. "Spiffing up the Rialto block | www.azstarnet.com ®". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2006-05-31. Arizona Daily Star

https://web.archive.org/web/20130715012913/http://skrappys.net/