SEND GOOD VIBES

What if we intentionally fostered a community of love and support between the audience and the fellows at NOI+F? 

Time and time again we’ve heard from the fellows that they worry about being judged on the quality of their performance as they imagine the audience and their peers listening for even the tiniest mistake, or feel like they have no connection to the people sitting in the room listening to their music. But when we talk to audiences, no one is pointing out mistakes or dissecting the performance they just heard. Instead, they are remarking on how much they loved the performance and how amazed they are by young people on the stage. 

We wanted to explore ways to help the fellows feel all the support that we know the audiences already have for them and help foster a sense of community and connection between fellows, audience members, and staff. During Saturday evening performances, we started leaving postcards and pens out around the lobby with the prompt to “send a message of support” to someone who made their NOI+F experience that night great and we would deliver it to them. We were excited to spot audience members sending multiple postcards and fellows even getting in on the fun, sending them to each other!