A new collaboration was announced by NPR Music and VuHaus at the 2017 NonCOMMvention in Philadelphia on THURSDAY (5/18).

The project will pull nominations from programming staff at the 18 public radio stations participating in the VUYHAUS video network — including founding stations WXPN/PHILADELPHIA, WFUV/NEW YORK, KCRW/LOS ANGELES, KUTX/AUSTIN and KTBG (THE BRIDGE)/KANSAS CITY — and, from those names, three artists will be identified that the collaborative, in conjunction with NPR Music, will champion in the 2017-18 season. This could mean anything from appearances at station events, on-air interviews and studio sessions, and performances for video series like NPR’s Tiny Desk.

“Everybody in this room knows the impact of public radio on artist development,” said WXPN GM ROGER LAMAY, who is also a board member at NPR and is heavily involved in VUHAUS. “It’s really been essential with Noncomms and public radio writ large to pool our resources and work together to grow our impact.”

ANYA GRUNDMANN, VP/Programming and Audience Development at NPR, cited “amazing outlets for artists all across public radio,” including Morning Becomes Eclectic, Cactus Cafe, Tiny Desk, Mountain Stage and World Cafe. Through the project — which does not yet have a name, but one is coming with the official announcement this summer — the group will put a package together for three artists so they can travel across country and be featured on all these outlets.
“A lot of artists have been sort of doing this organically anyway,” said GRUNDMANN. “We thought it would be much more powerful if we packaged it … and made it about folks we collectively in public media believe in, and do it with the biggest muscle we have.”