ONE STORY, MANY VOICES Provides Hope Through Artist's Experiences

Anchorage Concert Association created the Community Artist Project to partner with local artists to create short-term projects that provide connections between communities throughout Anchorage while social events, venues, and performances remain limited due to the COVID-19 crisis.

One Story, Many Voices, created by O'Hara Shipe, is a mini documentary of intimate concerts and interviews with Anchorage-based musicians Photonak and The Forest That Never Sleeps. It provides a place for artists to perform their music and explore themes of mental health, creativity, inspiration, and finding community in these unparalleled times. The audience will be able to hear about the healing power of music and experience it for themselves. This project highlights talented local musicians while also providing a message of hope for those who are struggling with feelings of isolation, depression, and hopelessness. Normalizing the discussion of mental health can make it easier for those who need help to talk about it, which is why Anchorage Concerts has partnered with NAMI Anchorage, John Larson, and O'Hara Shipe for this Community Artist Project during Mental Health Awareness Month.

One Story, Many Voices will premiere live on Anchorage Concert Association's Facebook and YouTube at 7pm on Tuesday, May 4th, followed by a live panel discussion from John's Home Studio with artists O'Hara Shipe, Kat Moore, Jeremy Egger, and Jason Lessard of NAMI Anchorage.

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI Anchorage, the local affiliate, raises awareness and provides essential education, advocacy and support group programs for people living with mental illness and their loved ones.

The creator of this project, O'Hara Shipe was born with skates on her feet and a Walkman in her hand. Now a retired professional ice hockey player, she has turned her passion for music into a full-time job. For the past 5 years, she has worked as a freelance multimedia journalist for the Anchorage Press, ADN, and various national outlets. You can find her work @Shipeshots on Instagram.

More information and artist biographies can be found at anchorageconcerts.org.

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