The Audioasis Youth Initiative was a project fostering creative collaboration between KEXP and its Seattle Center neighbors, The Center School.

The program took its name from Audioasis, Seattle’s longest running local music show, hosted and produced by Eva Walker. 

In 2001, Seattle Public Schools opened The Center School with the expressed purpose of integrating the arts into its curriculum. The 300-student high school aims to empower and inspire its student body to positively impact our world.

From Fall 2016 until Spring 2019, 39 students from the Center School garnered firsthand music industry experience by filming bands at KEXP. With help from the KEXP’s video production team, over the course of a school year, students in the Advanced Video Production class filmed live performances by emerging Pacific Northwest acts like Sloucher, Nudity, The Tripwires, and The Fabulous Downey Brothers. Student Nick Roetemeyer was inspired by The Center School’s arts focus as well as the opportunity to work with KEXP. When discussing the Audioasis Youth Initiative he says, “I gained professional-level experience and worked with people who’ve been doing what I want to do for several years. It’s shown me what a real production is like, and I feel lucky to have been able to experience it." 

The program provided mentorship in multiple areas of film production including camera operation and video editing. With the help of KEXP’s experienced staff, the class learned to prepare for video shoots and develops videography skills. In addition, they gained hands-on instruction in rig assembly, camera operation, and framing. After completing a live shoot, students received feedback from the KEXP staff.