2019 was a big year for us!  We celebrated our 10th anniversary as an organization, we changed our name and we served Hip Hop programs to more people than ever.   Here’s a look back at the year and some of milestone events and experiences that we’ve had.  When we look back at the last decade, it’s pretty amazing to see all the amazing things we’ve been lucky to be a part of.  We’ve met some incredible and inspirational people along the way and we can’t wait to see what the next 10 years has in store!

The Bboy Federation was founded in 2009 by Joshua ( Text ) Perkins and James ( Pyro ) Karren as a way to bring more dancers in Utah’s Breakin’ scene.  It started as a series of “League” events that took place over 4 months.  Winners received plane tickets to any event in the country that they chose.  The League ran for 5 seasons and helped bring a new generation of dancers into Utah’s community.  In 2013 The Bboy Federation gained 501c3 non-profit status.  This milestone marked a huge period of growth for “The FED”.  The following year we hired our first full and part time employees, began an after school teaching partnership with Promise South Salt Lake and started our stage show They Reminisce.  In 2016 we moved in The HERC, Utah’s Hip Hop Education & Resource Center.  The goal of The HERC was to provide full time access to Hip Hop based arts and education programs while also providing a headquarters for The FED.  In 2019 we changed our name to 1520 Arts.  1520 Sedgwick Ave is one of the birthplaces of Hip Hop culture.  For us this iconic location represents Hip Hop’s limitless potential and we wanted that potential to represent our organization going forward.  The last 10 years have been a whirlwind of successes and learning experiences.  We can’t wait to see what we’ll look like in another 10!

1520 Arts spends a lot of it’s time providing educational programming to Schools, Community Centers and After School Programs all over Salt Lake County.  In 2019 we visited over 30 different programs full of students aged elementary to college.  We visit the majority of these locations at free or reduced rates.  It’s our belief that the students should not suffer because of something they cannot control, namely a programs finances.  Our community programs are supported by grants and by donors like you.  If you’ve ever donated to 1520 Arts ( Thanks! ) you’ve helped provide these programs to students.  Every $10 dollars donated provides an hour of free programming for students.

You may have also seen us at events like the Utah Arts Festival, Urban Arts Festival, Park Silly or Zoo Brew.  In 2019, 1520 Arts performed at 20+ festivals and private events, including events we produce our selves.  The majority of our performances include an educational element and are meant to teach people about Hip Hop while entertaining them.  These performances also provide a great creative outlet for our community.

Each year we are able to teach 1000’s of students for FREE thanks to donors like you!  Whether it’s $10 or $1000, your donation helps provide high quality Hip Hop Arts programs for Utah’s youth.  Join the Cypher Club today and take your donation even further!

2019 saw our donors grow to an all time high!  So much of what we do would not be possible without their support.  Whether it’s $10 or $1000, the support from our donors makes our programs possible.  Not a donor yet?  That’s ok!  Take a look at our DONATION PAGE and think about becoming a recurring donor.  $10 a month brings an hour of free programming to a student who needs it.  Imagine what $100 a month could do!

2020 is all about growth for us, but it’s not just about numbers.  You can expect to see a lot of change as well.  We want to get better at delivering programs and make changes where we need to.  We also want to grow more on a personal level.  This means less time in the office and more time pursuing other passions.  What this all means is that you can expect to see some new things in 2020, you can expect some old things to improve, but you also might not see us as much as before.  Quality over quantity is the name of the game and we want keep providing Hip Hop excellence to our community!

Follow the link below to see our full Annual Report and learn a bit more about what we’re planning on doing in 2020.