Spotify is expanding its NextGen program, which works with HBCUs by way of the company’s Creator Equity Fund. This initiative aims to nurture podcast culture on campuses across the US by equipping students with essential audio skills.
The journey began with a partnership with Spelman College in Atlanta, introducing an audio-focused NextGen curriculum and a weeklong Spotify Labs Creator Program. As a next step, Spotify Studios will upgrade Spelman College’s on-campus podcast studio with recording equipment as well as portable audio tools for field use.
Spotify’s Creator Equity Fund is allocating over $100K in scholarship funds for students at Hampton University and North Carolina A&T State University. Initiatives include the Opening Act Roadshow at Hampton University, offering students access to Spotify professionals, skill-building workshops, and internship insights. Upcoming plans include scholarships, equipment donations, and faculty support for student content creation.
A partnership with Howard University introduced a podcast narrative course based on the 1619 Project, led by Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones. Howard students learned audio production skills and used donated equipment to produce a podcast series exploring Black culture and slavery’s legacies in America. A listening party is scheduled for January 2024.
NextGen’s collaboration with USC Annenberg School focuses on open dialogue and career development for aspiring podcast creators from marginalized backgrounds. Students have had opportunities to interact with audio creators and Spotify executives. A special event, Careers in Podcasting, was organized at Spotify’s Los Angeles office for USC Annenberg students passionate about audio storytelling.
