History
Like a lot of good ideas, ZUMIX started in someone's living room. Co-Founders Bob Grove and current Executive Director Madeleine Steczynski founded ZUMIX in 1991 as a response to Boston’s worst wave of youth violence. ZUMIX began as a summer songwriting program with 24 youth, $200, and the simple idea that giving youth something to be passionate about could transform lives and elevate communities.
Our programming quickly expanded. In 1993 we created a free outdoor Summer Concert Series in order to serve the broader community. Today, our year-round events are organized to provide East Boston residents with access to top-quality arts and cultural events.
Today ZUMIX serves over 500 youth per year through after-school and summer programming and 500 through in-school partnerships. Over 10,000 additional adults, children, and families attend our community events and festivals.
What’s a ZUMIX?
- a name created by a youth participant in 1993
- music, crafted and shared by everyone
- a family
