Creative Workforce Development · Free to the Community
Summer School
What Schools Don't Teach
Summer School is BYP's free creative workforce development series for everyone who is part of — or wants to be part of — the live music ecosystem. Not just the musicians. The photographers capturing the show. The sound engineers running the board. The journalists writing about it. The designers making the flyers. The lighting people, the entrepreneurs, the ones building the scene from every angle.
Each session is driven by whoever shows up and whatever they want to know. We bring in working professionals, open the floor, and go from there.
- —LocationStudios, shops, and interesting places all over LA
- —AudienceYoung musicians and creatives, teens, college students, parents and peers
- —CapacitySmall, intimate classes — size varies by location
- —CostFree. Always.
What We Cover
Every session is different. We bring in working professionals from every corner of the live music and creative industries and let the conversation go where it needs to go.
Past topics have included live sound, gear basics, music industry fundamentals, concert photography, and a lot of questions we never expected.
If there's something you've always wanted to know about music or the creative life, show up. We'll figure it out together.
Who this is for
- —Musicians
- —Sound Engineers
- —Concert Photographers
- —Journalists & Writers
- —Graphic Designers
- —Lighting Designers
- —Videographers
- —Entrepreneurs
- —Booking & Management
- —Parents & Supporters
Workshops
Upcoming
Monday, July 6, 2026 · 5:30–7:00pm
Booking, Promoting + WTF is Pay To Play?!
North Figueroa Bookshop, 6040 N. Figueroa · Highland Park
Sponsored by North Figueroa Bookshop & MUSACK
Past Workshops
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 · Altadena
Live Sound, Gear & The Music Industry
Christopher Fudurich — Production Manager, Front of House + Studio — Grouplove, Ozma, Social Distortion, YES
Matt Chait — Musician, Creative Director — Backyard Party
Monday, June 29, 2026 · Pasadena
Concert & Live Music Photography
Matt Harbicht — Photographer & cinematographer — Faculty at CS Arts, PCC, ELAC. Clients: Getty Images, Atlantic Records, Sony
Tony Valentino — Street photographer — Small Green Door, Homeboy Industries, Self Help Graphics. Published in Time, LA Times, NY Times
Get Involved
Backyard Party is a nonprofit, and Summer School runs entirely on the generosity of our community. We need working professionals willing to volunteer their time and expertise as guest speakers. We need businesses, studios, offices, shops, and individuals willing to open their spaces to host these free sessions. And we need sponsors to help cover the costs of speakers, snacks and drinks, marketing, and everything else that makes these events possible. If you believe that the next generation of musicians and creatives deserves access to real knowledge and real mentorship — this is how you make that happen.