The Center For Music and Arts Entrepuenership

In a seminar at Loyola University, New Orleans, cinematographer Brad Rushing discusses the role that mentoring and reciprocal favors have played in his career, and makes a case for the importance of finding a mentor to any career in the arts. He also discusses why having a successful career means taking chances, stepping up to challenges, and building a reputation as diligent, dependable, and easy to work with.

Don Marshall, the executive directer of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Foundation, talks about his job and about the jazz festival.

Dino Parades, VP of A & R for American Records, talks about the state of the music industry today. He believes that a trend is happening where music has become much more disposable and portable. Dino explains that in the short term, record companies are embracing the new music market and selling music cheaply online. He then gives his thoughts about how the industry is watering down what is art and making it more into a product. He predicts a move in the music industry back to music as art and less consumer-product based.

Producer, musician and label owner George Howard presents a career in a non-profit arts organization (such as Save the Music, ASCAP, and many, many others) as a good option for music-lovers who want a career in music. He discusses what a non-profit organization is, and how they collect money, pay salaries, generate revenue, and run their business, and lists several advantages to working in a nonprofit setting that a for-profit company cannot match.