Event Partner Info & FAQs

Thanks for your interest in including our Youth DJ crew in your event! Providing DJ & A/V support to community & arts organizations is an integral part of our program, and we appreciate you considering helping us help our kids. In order to make sure it works well for everyone involved, we've compiled a bit of helpful info below about working with us. As always, feel free to get in touch for additional info.

What we do
Since January 2014, our Youth DJ group has met twice each week working on DJ skills, A/V installation, event production, graphic design, and other studio/professional skills. We then use what we learn in the community by providing DJ and A/V support to various community & arts organizations in the Atlanta area. Our goal is to provide kids with real-life learning opportunities to help them feel successful and included so they don't need to resort to less desirable methods to get what they want or need.

What kinds of events do our youth do?
Our Youth DJs have experience at a wide variety of events, from art shows to kids’ parties, fundraising galas, and more. We’ve done everything from uplighting installation to running sound and, of course, DJing.

More about our Youth DJs
We currently have 5 youth DJs on a our roster. All are in elementary school (grades 3-5) and live in SW Atlanta. Our goal is to recruit kids who may need additional support to be successful socially, emotionally, & behaviorally, but we work closely with them to help them get prepared for professional event experiences, and do not take youth to professional events who we don't feel are ready for that experience.

What's the skill level of our Youth DJs?
Our program operates under "continuous enrollment," which means we have kids that have been with us a while and kids who just started. This means their skill levels vary widely - some are better than a lot of adult DJs, while some are just getting their feet wet. We'll work with you before the event to identify your specific DJ needs so we make sure we communicate with you about whether we'd be a good fit for your event. You may not mind if we give our new kids a shot, or you may really need a more polished presentation - let us know. At the minimum, we don't let kids DJ before they've achieved a basic level of being able to keep the music going. We also work closely with them getting ready for events. On site, we always have a professional DJ/event staff member that helps ensure our kids deliver a solid product.

What we charge, and how we’re funded
In short, we tend to donate our Youth DJ services to community & arts organizations. DJing these events is part of our program as well, so we’re happy to do it. We also believe in instilling a passion for community & service to others. We support our program through the other side of Soul Spin - our private event business (weddings, corporate events, etc.). If your event is a private/for-profit event, or if there is a revenue model in place for your event, we may ask that you consider a contribution to our youth program. 

What you can do to help
If you think it appropriate, we would very much appreciate you letting your supporters know about us. All of our Youth DJ events (including the equipment, staff time, etc.) are paid for through the revenue side of our organization, and our program is free of charge to families, so exposure never hurts. If you’ve enjoyed working with us, it would be a huge help to send out an email or social media blast letting your supporters know we’re around.

Committing in advance
Our Youth DJ Team runs continuously throughout the year, but we do experience routine turnover in our program as kids move away and otherwise transition in and out of the group. In order to make sure our current team is ready for the job, we typically wait until 4-6 weeks out before confirming/committing to any event. We also need to reserve a certain number of days on the calendar for the revenue side of our organization so we can keep the lights on. Before making final commitments, we’re happy to add your date tentatively to our calendar so that we don’t give it away to other community groups. 

Time
We're obviously not available during school hours, and we try not to commit to events that will run past 8pm (weekdays during the school year) or 10pm (weekends). We also tend to avoid events that start before 11:30am as our day usually starts several hours before the event start time and it can be hard to round up kids early in the morning on weekends. Also keep in mind that we're coming from College Park/SW Atlanta (sometimes both), so we may need a bit of time to get there and get setup if your event is after school (it's hard for us to be able to start much before 4:00-4:30).

Commitment to performance
While it’s unlikely, there is the outside chance that our Youth DJs may not be available when we go to pick them up. They may be at a friend’s house, relative’s house, or just out in the neighborhood. We usually have a team of Youth DJs that do events, so there are backups even if one doesn't show, but there is always the possibility that we won’t be able to track down any of our Youth DJs, but fear not! If we commit, we’ll be there - even if it’s one of our adult DJs that ends up stepping in.

Working with us
Our events are, from start to finish, produced by our Youth DJs. We let them make final decisions about involvement in events, and also expect them to take care of things like communicating with clients and finalizing details. Rest assured, we've got adults that are in the background doing quality control, but we hope you think it's really cool that you'll primarily be working (and communicating) with our kids - not us boring adults. Also, depending on our schedules, we also like to do venue walk-throughs and in-person client meetings (with you) to give our kids real-world professional experience, help them understand and connect with your mission, and of course ensure we have what we need to do a good job.

Dance parties for kids: How do they work?
We love creating dance parties for other youth programs. Generally, we've found that 1-2 hours is a good amount of time, depending on the attention span/age/interest of your kids and what other activities you have planned. Much more than that and we've found that many kids get bored and things tend to go downhill. We frequently get asked about other activity possibilities during the dance - games, dance contests, etc. We might just have a few ideas, and we often ask that your staff take a leadership role with these activities as you know your kids and how to engage them. We also think it's way more fun if your staff stay involved (i.e., on the dance floor, partying with the kids) throughout the event. Come on, we know you know how to do the Whip (or substitute whatever dance happens to be the popular one this week). And, in all seriousness, we think it's good teambuilding for everyone to cut loose together. Finally, we welcome you all providing snacks for your kids, setting up other activities (e.g., arts & crafts station for kids with two left feet), or bringing prizes for the dance competition - just let us know so we can plan accordingly.

Adult-oriented events
We routinely get asked if we’re able to DJ events for adults, including events that may serve alcohol. Our general rule of thumb is to consider whether the event is similar to other situations that most kids would routinely experience. For example, many restaurants (even family-oriented ones) do serve alcohol, so we’re fine if there are incidental beverages at your event. If your event revolves around alcohol, it’s more in a “bar” setting, or there is the likelihood of intoxication, we likely would have to decline your invitation.

Weather
Many of our Youth DJ events end up being outside, and we love that. Please know, however, that our equipment is expensive and sensitive to the sun, rain, bird droppings, and other elements. We do require shelter for all outdoor events, even if no rain is in the forecast. We’re also unable to setup or perform under temporary canopies or tents if there is even a slight possibility of rain in the forecast (unless those canopies or tents are of professional grade and waterproof). While we're being particular about things, we also probably need to point out that sun, rain, etc. can enter from an angle as well (e.g., sunset), so even if there is appropriate shelter, considering placement, direction & location is also important. In the event that we are able to setup, but inclement weather comes up (or is spotted on the radar), we hope you can understand that we may have to cancel or discontinue services. We hope that this would not interrupt your event, but we do need to preserve our equipment!