EXCLUSIVE: The African American Film Critics Association and the Grammy Museum on Monday unveiled a yearlong collaborative program to spotlight the intersectionality between music and content created for film, television and multimedia platforms. The initiative will be held at the Grammy Museum’s state-of-the-art facilities in downtown Los Angeles at LA Live, designed to celebrate the fusion of music and storytelling.
The program event will offer live musical performances, panel discussions, educational clinics and Ted Talk-style lectures, bringing together luminaries and entertainment, advertising and marketing experts. The goal is to raise awareness of music’s pivotal role in shaping the narratives that influence audiences worldwide.
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“So many people are unaware of the role that music plays in so many of the things that we see and do each day,” AAFCA co-founder Gil Robertson said. “Through our partnership with the Grammy Museum, our goal is to highlight how music functions to tell stories that influence people around the world. Music is an essential driver in storytelling that has the power to either deepen or elevate the impact of a project’s core messages.”
“We are creating a series that will have something for everyone,” adds Robertson. “Our goal is to illustrate the impact of music’s power, reach, and influence. We hope our series will provide audiences with an entertaining experience while inspiring the next generation of musicians to explore the boundless possibilities they can achieve with their own talents.”
The program’s inaugural event at the Grammy Museum featured a captivating discussion with the creative music teams behind The Color Purple and Origin. This session showcased the talents of composer Kris Bowers, songwriters Denisia “Blu” Andrew and Brittany “Chi” Coney, executive producer Stephen Bray and director Blitz Bazawule from The Color Purple. Additionally, singer-songwriter Stan Walker from Origin provided insights into their collaborative music-creation process.
The series will soon shift its focus to highlight the music of the Broadway-bound reboot of the Tony-winning musical The Wiz.
“We are looking forward to furthering our partnership this Black History Month with the African American Film Critics Association to bring year-long programming that celebrates the dynamic connection in people’s diverse backgrounds,” said Rita George, Chief Program Officer at the Grammy Museum.
For more information and updates on upcoming events, visit the AAFCA’s website and the Grammy Museum’s website.
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