Imagine for a moment.
Imagine that you are watching television and a commercial comes on with kids in it that you recognize.
Imagine watching your favorite series and a young person comes on the screen that resembles the girl in your church choir.
Imagine hearing the voice of an artist on the radio with the same name as the little boy who has lived in your neighborhood since he was born.
Now, imagine all those possibilities happening right here from Indianapolis. That’s what Kimberly Janelle sees, and she believes she’s the gateway to making that happen!
Kimberly created her company, Kimberly Janelle Inc., in February 2018 when she recognized the gap in training for young artists. She recognized the vast amount of talent in this city, comparable to more celebrated cities such as Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles. The missing link was the level of training that is available to artists in Indianapolis who have ambitious goals in the arts and entertainment industry.
Kimberly has offered workshops to teach how to audition, mastering your elevator speech, how to get signed to an agency and more. She noticed kids were eager for opportunities but lacked the in-depth training that would prepare them for success in the industry. No such training existed. So she created it, and The Artist Experience was born!
The Artist Experience was created in August 2019 with a group of serious students who want to take this industry by force. They are determined, and Kimberly wanted to blaze a trail for them to do so! The Artist Experience consists of 30 weeks of training (meeting weekly), covering many facets of the industry. Artists learn and train with industry professionals, some local, yet there are a few that live and work in other cities that will teach them virtually. Encompassed in the 30 weeks includes multiple opportunities to perform in productions that Kimberly has been contracted to produce and/or direct. During spring break 2020, these artists will travel with a parent to New York City for a five-day trip, all expenses paid! They will experience shows at Carnegie Hall, Off-Broadway and Broadway and tour Alvin Ailey. They will participate in an Improv workshop and later that evening, perform in an Improv show open to the public. They will participate in a workshop at The Art Studio NY. They will tour a recording studio and record a theme song that they will co-write. And on the last day of their stay, they will perform a production that created, a movie-turned-musical, for their parents and chaperones. Their performance will take place on the historic Apollo Theatre stage.
Once they return, they will prepare for an artists showcase that takes place June 5, 2020. The room will be full of industry professionals who can witness the genius of these beautiful young people. The goal is for them to leave the showcase with offers for scholarships, studio time, and audition opportunities. Once they participate in the showcase, the artists “graduate” from The Artist Experience. They become alumni of the Experience and their role expands. They become signed artists available for hire through the Kimberly Janelle Inc. Talent Agency. They are also interns to the teaching artists who train, inspire and empower the next round of artists.
“An Intimate Night with Kimberly Janelle and Friends” is a night full of entertainment provided by local artists. One hundred percent of the proceeds benefit The Artist Experience. Tickets are available on Eventbrite until Oct. 24. Sponsorship and donation opportunities are available.
For more information about the event or any other KJI opportunities, email Kimberly at thekimberlyjanelle@gmail.com.
