KUNR Youth Media

Holland Project in Reno looks to revive all-ages events amid COVID-19 pandemic

KUNR Public Radio | By Kendall Richter, KUNR Youth Media

Published December 29, 2021 at 7:00 AM PST

A teenager and a woman are seated in a gallery space. The teenager is wearing headphones and holding a microphone toward the woman. They are looking toward each other and wearing face masks. — Alisha Funkhouser, director of education and youth programs at the Holland Project, is seated with KUNR Youth Media reporter Kendall Richter at the Holland Project in Reno, Nev.

Since the pandemic, the Holland Project in Reno has been attempting to restart the live music scene they were known for before COVID-19.

The Holland Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to being an all-ages art and music initiative for young people in the Truckee Meadows area.

Since opening back up, Alisha Funkhouser, the director of education and youth programs at the Holland Project, says the nonprofit has been focusing on getting more young people involved again through a variety of family-friendly events.

A woman who helps run a creative space for youth in Reno standing against a colorful wall inside the project's venue. She is wearing a mask. — Alisha Funkhouser, director of education and youth programs at the Holland Project, stands against her favorite wall inside the all-ages music and arts venue in Reno, Nev.

“We are always super busy. I would say we curate anywhere from 200-250 events a year that ranges from music shows, workshops, exhibitions, and one-off events. I think we’re hoping to keep chugging along and bring in new programming as we go along,” Funkhouser said.

One notable event the Holland Project is excited to see returning by the end of the year is the Pussycat NV event, which partners with the local Humane Society to promote animal adoption. In addition, they are currently on the lookout for new and old events they can bring to the Holland Project to add variety and re-establish the organization as a place for artists to explore their crafts.

The Holland Project has also been looking to expand their facility and the partnerships they have in the community.

“We just were able to move into the building right beside the Holland Project. KWNK, the community radio station, is moving next door as well, which is convenient since we do lots of collaborations and partnerships with them,” Funkhouser explained.

Funkhouser and her volunteers hope these changes will contribute to their neighborhood becoming the creative hub they’d always envisioned.

Kendall Richter is a senior at the Academy of Arts, Careers, and Technology. KUNR’s youth media program is a special partnership with the Washoe County School District to train the next generation of journalists. Learn more about the Holland Project here.

Learn more about the KUNR Youth Media program

Each fall and spring semester, our dedicated program coordinator partners with the WCSD educator to mentor a select group of high school interns. The internship classes are typically from 2:15 to 4:15 p.m. at the high school, providing a structured environment where students receive comprehensive instruction.

The students are taught radio journalism, broadcast journalism, and media production, gaining real-world professional experience that helps them develop career skills. Students work with media professionals to produce creative audio stories and elevate voices from our region.

As part of the program, students are offered the opportunity to tour KUNR’s facilities and the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, where they will have the chance to record their broadcasts under the guidance of the WCSD educator and the program coordinator.

This semester-long project is designed to facilitate the airing of the students' stories on KUNR and the publication of their work on KUNR.org. Through this experiential learning approach, students gain valuable insights into public media and develop practical skills using industry-standard equipment.

The KUNR Youth Media Coordinator plays a crucial role in ensuring that students receive scholarly guidance on the standards and practices associated with audio journalism production.

Our program is committed to fostering a safe and constructive learning environment for all participants. KUNR is dedicated to nurturing the creative ideas of students in the program and, prior to publication, KUNR’s Managing Editor reviews all submitted work to ensure that it aligns with KUNR’s established media standards and expectations.

This program was formerly known as Reno Youth Radio.