Since September, youth rappers, singers, poets, dancers and other artists have been working with researchers to incorporate drug prevention messages into original music and other works of art. The 14-19 year old performers from the Greater Hartford area will release a CD of their work at a live concert on Saturday, January 19, 2008 at the Charter Oak Cultural Center, 21 Charter Oak Ave, in Hartford, CT. Doors open at 6 pm with refreshments, and the show starts at 7 pm. All audience members will receive a copy of the “Xperience: Volume 2” CD and be eligible for raffle prizes. The event is free and open to the public; doors will close at 7:30 pm.

Xperience Hartford began in 2005 as an intervention research project. Now in its third year, Xperience is based at Mi Casa Family & Educational Services in Hartford. The last Xperience CD-release show, in May 2007, drew over 180 people. “This project is a great way to promote a drug-free lifestyle among young people,” says Damion Sincere Morgan, Vocal Arts Specialist for the project at The Institute for Community Research (ICR). Maritza Lopez, a Recruiting & Marketing Specialist for the project at ICR, encourages teens to participate and works with the youth production team to market and produce the shows. “The impact goes beyond the participating artists and is starting to reach the youth who attend the shows as well,” she says.

Xperience Hartford is a great opportunity for new artists to use their talents to benefit their communities. Up-and-coming artists can improve their skills, connections and exposure, while working together with other youth to produce and market the shows. Sarah Diamond, Co-Scientific Director for the project, emphasizes the importance of giving youth in Hartford a greater voice: “By providing youth who choose not to use drugs with an opportunity to express themselves through the arts, to have their voices recorded on a professionally mastered CD and to perform live at a community-wide entertainment show, Xperience recognizes youth as positive role models and potential leaders within their communities and Hartford as a whole.”

Any young person, ages 14-20, interested in either performing or assisting in show production can sign up to be part of the next Xperience Hartford program cycle starting in late February. More information about the program and how to sign up is available at www.xperiencehartford.org, by email at xperiencehartford@icrweb.org, or by calling (860) 982-9985. Xperience is funded by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. The project is a collaboration of The Institute for Community Research, the University of Connecticut Center for Health Communication and Marketing, Young Studios, and Mi Casa Family Services and Educational Center, Inc.

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