Amanda Forbes, Tour Accountant

Well Dunn Foundation helps those entering the entertainment industry

Rather than simply mourn the loss of their late daughter Emily Dunn, metro Atlanta residents Deborah and Chris Dunn are actively carrying on her legacy.

“When people ask me what I’m doing now, I answer, ‘I do Well Dunn,’” Deborah Dunn said with a palpable sense of sadness, tinged with parental pride. “It’s actually what keeps us going.”

Celebrating its 10th year, the Well Dunn Foundation wascreated as an offshoot of Well Dunn Entertainment, the business Emily Dunn formed while she was a student at Washington University in St. Louis. Dunn, who grew up in Atlanta and attended the Lovett School, started Well Dunn to help promote local and national music events.

After graduating from college, she relocated to San Francisco for jobs with event management companySuperfly and the Outside Lands music festival.

In 2011, during one of her frequent phone calls to her mother, “Emily was telling me how much she loved her life and how happy she was with all of her plans,” Deborah Dunn recalled.

> Read more on ajc.com

#iVoted Festival, which built the largest digital concert in history in 2020, is back for the 2022 midterms. The nonpartisan election night webcast features the top trending artists in and from key states whose electoral margins are often decided by the size of a concert venue. Fans RSVP to access the election night webcast with a selfie from outside their nearest polling place or at home with a blank and unmarked ballot.

As Georgia is a key battleground state, #iVoted Festival will feature a virtual Music Midtown & Well-Dunn Stage presented by Atlanta’s iconic Music Midtown and Atlanta based non-profit Well Dunn. The stage will feature appearances by The Revivalists,  Brittney Spencer and showcases the top trending artists in and from Georgia. #iVoted Festival 2022 artists performing on the Music Midtown & Well Dunn stage include Lawrence Flowers & Intercession, A$H, Glimmers, The Carolyn, Brother Hawk, Noel Scales, Rebecca Loebe, The Relics and more. Additional stages include performances and appearances including A Conversation w/ W. Kamau Bell & Tom Morello, Billie Eilish, FINNEAS, Run the Jewels (Holy Calamavote TV concert rebroadcast), Steph Curry, Eugene Mirman, Lake Street Dive, CNCO, Rise Against, Umphrey’s McGee, Los Lobos, The Revivalists, Shakey Graves, Taylor Bennett, Carl Craig, Em Beihold, The Black Angels, Messer, The Range, Bully, VINCINT, Umphrey’s McGee, DeVotchKa, 3OH!3, Black Stone Cherry, El Trono de Mexico, Piper Perabo, La Bouche, Fabiø Guerra, Richard Marx, Jamby El Favo, The Starting Line, The Happy Fits, Jaret Reddick of Bowling for Soup, Twiztid, The Suffers and more with the full lineup available HERE: https://ivotedfestival.org/

> Read more on enigmaonline.com

Music Forward doesn’t just produce content for our broad global audiences. We also partner with organizations and schools across the country to ensure our programming is getting to passionate, young people in communities we can’t reach in-person! This month we want to highlight the Well Dunn Foundation as one such partnership. We caught up with Nancy Tarr,executive director of the foundation, to let us know all about their 5+ year Music Forward connection.

How did your organization become connected with Music Forward?

We partnered on outreach opportunities via NAMM for high school students at the Anaheim, CA House of Blues and Well Dunn placed Music Forward students in paid internships.

How does your organization engage with Music Forward? What programs do you utilize most? 

We share Music Forward’s programming, scholarships, and internship opportunities. Music Forward sends well-qualified students to Well Dunn and we send Music Forward well-qualified students for internships, All Access programs, Artist and Career Development panels and Open Mics too.

What are the most important aspects of the music industry your students need to understand? How does Music Forward support that message? 

“Job readiness” is one of the most important aspects of working in the music industry. Music Forward is a great education and opportunity partner to provide access, education, and career development to our Well Dunn students.

> Read more on musicforwardfoundation.org

Emily Dunn was a very passionate young person. When she chose to do something, she saw it through. In 2005, when she was just 16, she talked her mom, Deborah, into going to Bonnaroo together where she immediately fell in love with live events. Over the next year, while still in high school, Emily created her own company, Well Dunn Entertainment. She worked with AC Entertainment, Suite Treatments and others every chance she had. After taking a gap year between high school and college to travel the world, she continued working extensively with concerts and events throughout college.

Emily Dunn was a very passionate young person. When she chose to do something, she saw it through. In 2005, when she was just 16, she talked her mom, Deborah, into going to Bonnaroo together where she immediately fell in love with live events. Over the next year, while still in high school, Emily created her own company, Well Dunn Entertainment. She worked with AC Entertainment, Suite Treatments and others every chance she had. After taking a gap year between high school and college to travel the world, she continued working extensively with concerts and events throughout college.

> Read more on bohlive.com

(New York, NY) Music industry networking nonprofit Well Dunn is pleased to announce the appointment of new Board member David ‘5-1’ Norman. Norman, a Tour Director / Tour Accountant has 35 years of global touring experience throughout North America, Europe, Australia, Asia, South America and South Africa. During the pandemic, Norman, along with several other tour managers lead the Tour Management 101 Webinar series where the next generation can learn about the concert industry.

Well Dunn Executive Director, Nancy Tarr says, “I am thrilled to have David join our board; he has already provided backstage mentoring opportunities for Well Dunn candidates, and during these difficult times he has stepped in to create incredible learning and networking opportunities with Tour Management 101. He will be instrumental in developing and launching our newly implemented mentoring program and will be a great asset to our community of students.”

David ‘5-1’ Norman said, “I am truly honored and humbled to be joining Well Dunn’s efforts while representing this amazing organization. When I started in this industry, I had three amazing mentors whom I still speak with even today.

> Read more on hbcuconnect.com