ABOUT YEAH!
OUR Mission:
To further empower youth voices from all backgrounds through music education.
OUR Vision:
To creatively connect young people through music by providing an inclusive community and developing young peoples' leadership skills.
OUR Values:
By adhering to these values, we aim to create a lasting and positive impact on the lives of young people, fostering a sense of unity, resilience, and joy through the universal language of music. Together, we strive to build a harmonious world where every youth can reach their full potential.
Empowerment: We are dedicated to empowering youth through music education, providing them with the tools and knowledge to express themselves, cultivate their potential, and contribute positively to society.
Inclusivity: We believe in the strength of diversity, embracing and celebrating the unique talents and perspectives of every young person in our community.
Collaboration: We foster a collaborative environment, encouraging teamwork, mentorship, and the exchange of ideas among our youth members, instructors, and community partners.
Access: We are committed to removing barriers to music education, ensuring that every young person, regardless of socioeconomic status, has equal access to high-quality musical instruction and resources.
OUR Purpose:
To develop an appreciation and use of music as a tool to strengthen self and build community.
To make the world a better place by listening and learning from youth voices.
To further empower Middle Tennessee youth voices through music and a community culture that assists in their development and expression of self.
To create a better place through listening and learning through music.
OUR IMPACT:
Click here to view our 2024 Impact Report to see how YEAH! is empowering youth through music and the arts!
YEAH! is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable youth arts organization in Nashville, Tennessee, founded to further empower young people ages 6-17 through music.
YEAH! prioritizes expanded diversity among its students, teachers, volunteers, staff, and its board. YEAH! reaches out to underrepresented populations, such as our non-English speaking, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse, and Title 1 public school communities in Middle Tennessee. We encourage their participation in our organization and programs, making YEAH! reflective of the community’s strength.
YEAH! values diversity of age, race, economic status, gender expression, size, physical ability, developmental ability, musical interests, learning styles, nationality, religion, and sexual orientation. We promote respect and do not tolerate racism, sexism, homophobia, or other discriminatory behavior or expression.
Our summer camp, weekend, and public school programs support social responsibility and self-esteem. Participants gain proficiency on an instrument of their choice (bass, drums, guitar, keyboard, ukulele, or vocals); work together as a band; write songs and compose music; attend workshops and live performances; and showcase their work at the end of each program.
More broadly, participants take risks and create art representative of their similarities and uniqueness. Band collaborations develop entrepreneurial and life skills that lead to future success in all fields.
YEAH!’s lending library provides access to personal instruments, and our scholarship program removes financial barriers for applicants.
OUR History:
YEAH! traces its roots to 2003, when Middle Tennessee State University student Kelley Anderson organized and kicked off the first Southern Girls Rock Camp - the second-ever female only Rock Camp in the world - as a joint project between the feminist student organization Women for Women and the June Anderson Women's Center. Anderson was inspired by her experience volunteering at the girls rock camp program in Portland, Oregon and envisioned a more egalitarian music community in Tennessee.
YEAH! was founded in 2006 by Kelley Anderson, Anna Fitzgerald, Courtney Vickers, Andrew Jacks, Ryan York, and Nicole Tekulve to enable self-expression for youths from all backgrounds through yearlong music education programming. YEAH! has increasingly connected participants who have limited access to music education. It moved away from its volunteer run model to providing equitable wages for local teaching artists. Collaborations with community organizations have supported our programs’ planning, promotion, recruitment, and curriculum. The organization’s scholarship fund was made for all applicants, regardless of economic background or status.
our Programming:
YEAH! builds on partnerships with government and community organizations to support youth, striving to engage 150 participants in FY26 in instrument instruction and related disciplines. Programs include afterschool, weekend and summer camp sessions in Metro Nashville. All programs emphasize exploration, expression, collaboration and the historical role of music on social change and are led by local teaching artists.
YEAH! Rocks Music Camp - A one-week summer day camp for youth ages 6 - 17 of all musical abilities. This immersive experience provides participants with instrument instruction (bass, drums, guitar, keys, vocals), opportunities to form bands, write original songs, and engage in creative workshops such as songwriting, beatmaking, and music technology. Youth also participate in panels led by local community organizations and industry leaders, ensuring campers connect directly with the people shaping Nashville’s cultural and creative landscape. These sessions address topics that fuel the music they make, such as mental health, media literacy, and arts activism. Camp also introduces them to guest performances with interactive Q&As. The week culminates in a showcase at professional venues like The Blue Room, celebrating each band’s original music and their growth as young artists.
Community Music Camp - A three-day weekend camp for adults of all skill levels, emphasizing creativity, community, and performance.
Rock Block - A 10-week band-based program on Saturday afternoons for middle and high school youth. Each two-hour session emphasizes collaboration, songwriting, and performance. Participants form youth-led bands, write original music, and live performance.
Rock Block MNPS - A one hour, 10-week, after-school enrichment program at Title 1 middle and high schools and community centers. Sessions focus on vocals, songwriting, guitar, ukulele or percussion, with an emphasis on group performance, culminating in a showcase.
Rock Block NPL - A one hour, 10-week after-school and Saturday afternoon program at Nashville Public Library branches for youth ages 11 and up, introducing ukulele, songwriting, guitar in a smaller group collaboration setting.
Local Legends Tour - Alumni perform at festivals, museums, and cultural events, gaining stage experience, community engagement, and connection to Tennessee’s musical heritage.
Scholarships - Need-based scholarships are available for all camp participants, with a limited availability for Rock Block, ensuring access for all.
YEAH! Music Gear Lending Library - Free loaner instruments are available for participants to use during the programs and at home, eliminating barriers to access.
YEAH! Nondiscrimination Statement
All of YEAH!’s programs and services are fully accessible to all artists and citizens. No person of on the grounds of disability, age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin or any other classification protected by Federal, Tennessee State constitutional, or statutory law shall be given preferential treatment or excluded from participation in services, programs and employment provided by YEAH! and its contracting agencies. If an individual believes they have been subjected to discrimination, they may file a complaint with the Civil Rights Enforcement Division of the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office at Online Complaint Portal; phone: 615.741.5825, email CRED@ag.tn.gov; or by mail to P. O. Box 20207, Nashville, TN 37202.
