Catalyst Interview Series: Byron Greene
What initially got you interested in KCCI?
It was a way for me to serve my community and explore some new avenues by which I can have some type of impact on our city. KCCI provided an opportunity to be creative, and to come up with something I have never done before and work with people that I really didn’t know. Those were some of the appealing attributes, but mainly to get out and be a part of the community and try to bring something different, something new to the community.
What was your favorite part of the project?
My favorite part was two phases. First, was the creative side and planning side, working with the creative team. The other side, was watching people’s faces when they saw these performances in places that they didn’t expect. It was kinda exciting to see this because I knew that we were having an impact. When you see that connection and it’s not anything that you can really, you can’t write a script for it; it’s just something that happens serendipitously. But to see that was a great joy.
Can you give us a brief summary of the Tallahassee Music Week project you worked on?
The basic premise of Tallahassee Music Week was to bring local artists, local musicians to the community, because there’s so many bands and so much musical talent in Tallahassee oftentimes people didn’t know existed. During an entire week for three year’s annually, we coordinated for bands to perform in non-traditional venues. Even I was surprised at the number of number of quality local bands. When people saw them performing in a non-traditional venues it really made an impact and raised awareness of local talent. It was a surprise to me so I’m sure it’s a surprise to many others. That was the major mission of Tallahassee Music Week.
What were some challenges you faced with the Tallahassee Music Week project?
The challenges were the logistics — how do we pay musicians? Who gets paid what? What venues?
What are some of your favorite places in Tallahassee?
- Red Eye and Lucky Goat Coffee Shops
- Breakfast at Uptown Café
- Midtown Reader
- MoMo’s Pizza
- Cascades Park
- The Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra at Ruby Diamond
- Walking trails at the Greenways at Miccosukee and Meridian Roads
- Driving along our canopy roads, most notably: Centerville and Meridian Roads
- FAMU Football Games
Who should apply to be a KCCI Community Catalyst?
Anybody that wants to make a difference in the creative world of Tallahassee should apply. It’s an opportunity to one get to know each other outside of your immediate circle. But it’s also a way to elevate the creativity that’s right here in our city.
What is some advice you have for future Catalysts?
I would advise that you stay open and take advantage of the connections that you make. And one, know that the connections you make will often term become long term. You don’t just walk away from the project once it was over. You may walk away because the project ends, but your connection is everlasting. You will always be a part of this family, this group, this network and it’s a great thing to know.