READI 2.0 ARTS & CULTURE INITIATIVE

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 About the project: Wild Rose Moon Performing Arts Center is transforming its  successful Radio Hour program into a fully-produced, recorded-live-for-TV show —  uniting national musicians with local artists performing original works. Initial  broadcasts on public television and radio in prime time have already demonstrated  strong audience demand, with WNIT reporting 393,497 views for the Blues Moon  over Michiana episode alone.

Four priorities for immediate impact: To complete the successful launch of the Radio  Hour more quickly, four targeted investments will have the biggest impact right  away.

Studio-Grade HVAC: Specialized "whisper quiet" climate control will eliminate the  ambient noise that currently limits recording seasons, extending our scheduling  window by four months each year and making year-round production viable.

 Media Production Facility: A fully operational in-house production facility will allow  us to edit content ourselves and produce new shows that broadcast stations have  already expressed interest in carrying — moving faster and keeping more creative  control. In addition, this improvement will allow us to integrate more audio and  video production interns in our program, as well as other production personnel,  further strengthening workforce development in our region.

Digital Media Legal Expertise: To respond to other stations' growing interest in the  Radio Hour and to leverage our extensive digital archives, we need expert guidance  on the legal landscape of digital media distribution, rights, and licensing.

Community Growth Beyond a Zip Code: The Wild Rose Moon community is already  outgrowing the three county area. This grant positions us to reach five broadcast  regions, statewide audiences, and communities well beyond geographic boundaries  through digital platforms.

Grant outcomes

By the end of this grant period, Wild Rose Moon will be better equipped to produce  expanded live performance shows and emerging artist content. We will have  strengthened our partnerships with local public broadcasters.

Most importantly, we will serve as a showcase for local talent — reaching our  regional community, four surrounding broadcast areas, new audiences statewide,  and communities well beyond geographic boundaries through digital platforms.