Thanks, “Artist’s Connection”

The volunteers for “Artist’s Connection” have been producing their show monthly for just about two years, with award-winning San Francisco journalist Kevin Fagan as host. The program features topic-driven interviews of artists with questions that go beyond persona and performance, revealing the reasons behind the choices that artists make, and giving viewers a glimpse through the eyes of the artist. It’s focused heavily on performers in Yolo County.

This month, Producer Sam Hawk told us the show would draw to a close as Fagan (also a musician) pursues writing a book. It’s been a great run, and they leave behind a wealth of informative programming. Hawk says he’ll be transitioning to a radio show soon, and I’ll be listening for that.

Community Events

 
Vocal Art Ensemble: Friday, June 10 - Sunday, June 12

The Vocal Art Ensemble digs deep into the salt of the earth, excavating
the cultural foundations that shape the ever-flourishing art of song.
Cultivating choral transplants across countries and generations, VAE
nurtures a musical garden of human experience, through the common
grounds of life, death, faith, serenity, love, and dreams. Collaborating in this program will be ceremonial sound practitioner
Rene Jenkins, who uses ancient indigenous instruments to harvest
timeless soundscapes of magical dimensions.

Davis Music Fest: Friday June 17 - Sunday June 19

Spanning 10 stages with 45 bands, the Davis Music Fest rolls into it's 6th year.  The festival benefits both Davis School Arts Foundation and the DHS Blue & White Foundation. Local favorites West Nile Ramblers, Rita Hosking Band and Gravy Nation will be playing along with many out of town bands.  No matter what you'll find a band you enjoy throughout the event.  

Upcoming

Davis Shorts: Current DMA volunteers and producers are welcome to attend "Davis Shorts" on May 25 at 7pm. Davis Shorts will be a screening of DMA Producers (& friends) short-form completed work, current drafts, or other projects intended to provoke discussion.  Seating is limited- use the registration link to guarantee a seat!

A Note From the Director

Help Keep Media Local: DMA Needs Your Support

Davis Media Access (DMA) has been described as “part of what makes Davis, Davis.” I believe that reflects how DMA is connected to–and supports—so many different aspects of our community that it’s become part of the fabric. Like any fabric, DMA is woven from many brightly hued and different threads, and we’re stronger together.

DMA is currently doing its annual funding appeal. It’s important that we raise this money each year, as it keeps KDRT 95.7 operational, and it helps support our local election and youth-media efforts. We’re more than halfway through May, and more than halfway to our goal of $25k, but that still leaves us with another $12k to raise over the next couple of weeks.

What is DMA? It’s three big projects (public access TV, educational access TV, and community radio) that together comprise a small staff, a large volunteer base, and a whole lot of learning and doing. DMA operates and staffs a media center and helps community members produce and distribute content across local television, radio, and the Internet. Using the framework and resources established nearly 27 years ago by the City of Davis, we’ve leveraged those to include a radio station, four open-source websites, video and audio streaming and archiving, and support for a tremendous variety of individuals and community organizations.

Upcoming events

March 25: “ LIVE DiRT” (encompasses what was  formerly “Live in the Loam”) is a live music feature of KDRT radio – sometimes happening in local venues, sometimes live in the KDRT or DCTV studios. “LIVE DiRT” has no fixed schedule and “pops up” whenever musical artists can merge their touring schedule with KDRT programming.

This week, “LIVE DiRT: features Lance Canales and the Flood live in the KDRT studio on Friday, March 25 beginning at 2:30 p.m. Lance Canales & The Flood are a roots/blues-influenced Americana trio from Fresno, California, where Canales lived the life that so many songs have been written about since the birth of roots music: hard labor, one-room shacks and taunting ghosts whispering of a better life. DJ Dug Deep hosts.

Other upcoming 'LIVE DiRT' dates: catch KDRT's live broadcast from Armadillo Music during 2nd Fridays and the Art About. 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. on April 14, May 12, and June 9.

April 6: All about the Green Wall - 6:30-7:30 in the DMA studio. Learn how to use our green wall and chroma-key effects. Free, but be sure to register at the above link as space is limited.

April 16: UC Davis celebrates its 102nd Picnic Day this year. For the first time KDRT will be participating so keep your eye out.

April 17: Coffee with Amy Goodman: along with local business/DMA supporter The Wardrobe, DMA is proud to host award-winning journalist and New York Times best-selling author Amy Goodman for a rare and intimate visit to Davis.  As of this writing there are only 13 tickets left.  So act now.

April 20: DMA's monthly General Orientation, a first step to getting involved. 6:30-8 p.m.  Free but be sure to register at the above link as space is limited.

Summer camp registration

Davis Media Access offers two kinds of summer camps for kids aged 10-13. In the production camp, participants will learn how to produce a program in DMA's television studio, including storyboarding, operating cameras and sound equipment, and media literacy training. New this summer, campers will be able to take advantage of DMA's brand-new HD Field Cameras. They will also get an introduction to the radio booth KDRT 95.7 FM, DMA's low-power community radio station. The course is team taught by DMA staffer Alex Silva-Sadder, with assistance from high-school or college-aged assistants.

Looking Back, Planning Ahead

The life of an executive director is full of report writing, with perhaps none more important than an annual report, a document that tells the story of an organization, why it exists, and how it makes a difference. For the second year, we've taken what used to be a big written annual report and made a short video instead.

I constantly hear from people involved with one of our projects that they had no idea how many other things happen here at the media center. The video aims to give some insight into the whole organization by looking back on what we did in 2015. You can find it here, and I hope you’ll take a few minutes to check it out. Big thanks to Darrick Servis and Jeff Shaw for their production work, and Eunah Cho for the majority of the still images used.


A Love of Numbers

A note from the Director

I’m musing about this town’s fascination with numbered days. We’ve got our First Thursdays, wherein our good friends at the Davis Odd Fellows host free live music at the Hall on Second Street. Then we’ve got 2nd Fridays, with the Art About downtown.

I’ve learned to love numbers, so here are some others I’d like to highlight:

1: Number of Picnic Day parades the KDRT contingent will march in this year.  Be sure not to miss us April 16 on the route from the UC Davis campus through downtown.

3: Number of Live in the Loam radio programs recorded in the past month with appearances by Bob Woodruff, the Rev. Shawn Amos, and I See Hawks in LA. 

14: Number of local non-profits we helped create short public service announcements during our annual PSA Day.

28: Number of years we’ve been doing local election coverage. DMA is ramping up to cover forums, record “Meet the Candidates,” and produce a live show on election night, June 7.