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The Neutral Zone is Ann Arbor's teen center. It offers around 25 programs in music production, art & photography, education & mentoring, social groups, and digital arts.

The Neutral Zone has moved into a new building on Washington. Formerly the home of Kolossus printing, the building has been nearly completely renovated by McKinley and a four million dollar capital campaign. There is a massive amount of program space spread across three floors. Events in the new building began Wednesday, September 27 2006.

[edit] Summer Institute

The NZ runs a summer program each year for teens grades 8-12: http://www.neutral-zone.org/si08/

Classes in music production, art, writing, digital production (photo, music, video), hiking...

[edit] Youth Owned Records

Youth Owned Records (YOR) is the Neutral Zone's youth-owned music producer. They also host weekly concerts on Saturdays for teens.

The Zone has a full recording studio which is avaiable to members of the public and teens at a discounted rate.

[edit] NZ Programs Review

Old program updates

Here is what has been happening in the NZ programs, if something sounds interesting then get involved!

[edit] Music and Technology:

[edit] YOR and Studio:

• CD Release EP003, Light Switch Decision was a huge success and has already sold out.
• CD Release EP004, The Fifth Element Hip Hop Group will be releasing their CD soon
• YOR is working on putting together "The Compilation" -- it will be a collective of local bands that are homegrown. The liner is being created right now and will show photos of local landmarks.
• Currently looking for corporate sponsors to support upcoming YOR Compilation Album

[edit] Weekends:

• Weekends received donations from All Media Guide and Encore Records for the 2005 Battle of the Bands.
• Weekends hosts Disco Party on December 17, Disco Party will raise funds for YOR for a CD Duplicator.

[edit] Video and Media Arts:

• Working on putting together a video showing at Neutral Zone.
• Recently taken trips to Downtown Home and Garden and Law Library at U of M to find new places to get visual material.

[edit] Literary Arts and Performance

[edit] 2nd Tuesday Author Series:

• Visiting Author Series for the upcoming months include: Thomas Lynch, Phoebe Gloeckner, Sonya Sones, Laura Kasischke, and Davy Rothbart.
• Thomas Lynch will visit on January 10.

[edit] Volume Poetry Project:

• Ann Arbor Youth Poetry Night brought over 600 people together at Rackham Auditorium to celebrate youth poetry.

[edit] Short Story Writing:

• Focused on revising and developing complete works. Runs during the school year, scheduled for 4-6 PM on Fridays.

Short Story Writing and Volume Poetry Project worked with 826 Michigan to create a youth editorial board for the publication of Vacansopapurosophobia (which means 'fear of a blank page') which includes fiction, poetry and essays by writers from elementary to high school.

[edit] Community Leadership

[edit] Teen Advisory Council:

• TAC just funded 4 grants of a total of $1200 to the following programs to support YOR for a CD Duplicator, Studio equipment, Music Workshop series focused on women musicians, and a trip for PYT to visit Detroit and have a lock-in.
• TAC raised $3500 hosting a Top of the Jazz Club at Neutral Zone.

[edit] Building Bridges:

• Working on a public showing of a documentary "Invisible Children" to possibly show at State Theater along with presentations and discussions at Neutral Zone before or after.

[edit] North Star:

• Focusing on Women's Clemency Project, a movement that advocates for women in prison who have life sentence prisons who have killed their abusers out of self defense. This has been a joint project with PYT with a viewing of documentary and women speakers who have been incarcerated.

[edit] Young Women of Color, PYT:

• Working with North Star focusing on Women's Clemency Project.
• Planning a trip to Detroit to see the African American Museum along with a lock-in at the Zone.

[edit] Young Men of Color:

• Planning an open house to invite the African American community of both youth and adults to the NZ.

[edit] Riot Youth, advocacy for LGBTQ

• Beginning planning for Queer Prom to be held in the Spring.
• Recently received a grant from the HOPE Fund for upcoming year projects, CONGRATS!

[edit] Community Service, Slervners:

• Working on a project to look at homelessness. Slervners has had opportunities to meet a couple of local homeless residents to talk about their experiences.
• Teens are working to put the word out about what they are doing.

[edit] Education

[edit] Mentoring:

• Personal Achievement Contracts is now open for teens to sign up. This allows teens to create contracts with NZ staff about a specific goal when the goal is achieved there are community rewards such as gift certificates to acknowledge your accomplishment, contact Yosef or John if interested.

[edit] Tutoring:

College students are always available Monday through Thursday from 6-8 pm at the downtown public library in the teen area.

[edit] College Prep:

• Register now for SAT Kaplan Class running March 7-April 29, cost $450 (half regular cost, scholarships available based on need)
• Register now for ACT Kaplan Class running Feb. 13-March 29, cost $350 (half regular cost, scholarships available based on need).
• Free workshops, see Neutral Zone webpage, neutral-zone.org

[edit] Community Internships:

• Four internships have been placed at the YMCA, Zingerman's Deli, Shaman Drum, and the American Red Cross.
• There are still a number of other places that are open to start in February contact Yosef NOW. Remaining internships include: Performance Network, Purple Rose Theater, Oneline Studio, CTN, UMS, and the Ann Arbor Art Fair.

Questions on anything? Contact Lori, lori@neutral-zone.org, 734-214-9995 ex. 14.

[edit] Contacts

Phone: 734-214-9995
Email: info@neutral-zone.org
310 East Washington
Ann Arbor, MI 48105