Downbeat 720, the City’s long-running open-mic for high school performers, returns in-person beginning Tuesday, September 27, 2022. It will be one of the first high school programs activating the Virginia Avenue Park Teen Center since the pandemic closures. All Santa Monica students of high school age are invited to join the free program that cultivates a supportive community of aspiring artists.
Now in its twenty-first year, Downbeat 720 is LA’s premier open-mic for high school students looking to develop their talent, offering teens a safe and supportive space for creative self-expression. Students are invited to perform original music, poetry, comedy or art for an audience of participating students and professional artist mentors. Performers will receive positive constructive feedback to help strengthen their performances. The program will also invite professional artists to perform for the students.
Downbeat 720 will run every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, between September 27, 2022, to June 27, 2023. Participants can arrive at 7 p.m. for a meet-and-greet, with the official program running from 7:20 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Virginia Avenue Park Teen Center is located at 2200 Virginia Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404.
Downbeat 720 is hosted by comedian Joe Hernandez-Kolski (Gilmore Girls, HBO’s Def Poetry), beatboxer Joshua Silverstein (Drop The Mic, The Late Late Show with James Corden, with music by DJ Jedi (Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam on Broadway, Digable Planets), and sponsored by the City of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs.
For more information and to register, visit santamonica.gov/programs/downbeat-720.
