As an Atlanta transplant in 2011, musician Josh Schicker set out to carve out his own place in the local music scene. A few years later, the indie-pop singer and songwriter came across ATL Collective on social media. The first show he attended was Radiohead’s The Bends in 2019 and since then, he’s been continually connected.
However, his most meaningful engagement with the Collective is through Hump Day Hang, a panel-driven, Q+A professional development series for gaining knowledge and building relationships. After attending a healthy handful of these events, Josh discovered an opportunity to meet new people and find common ground.
“There’s a sense of being a larger part of the [music] community. The number one way I’ve connected with others is through Hump Day Hang.”
Through this networking and information series, Josh has become familiar and established with the local music scene. In his experience, Atlanta has always been welcoming. The way he describes it, “Every time I’ve knocked on a door, somebody’s answered. It’s not tough to make inroads.”
In the spirit of equipping the community with resources, Josh acknowledges that ATL Collective has encouraged him and others to “think beyond where you are”. By increasing musician access to information and a larger network of contacts, ATL Collective contributes to a more robust and facilitated community.