Collective Entertainment Spectacles | Reinventing Audio Discourse in Podcast Form
In the vibrant city of Denver, Majestic Collaborations is currently working hand-in-hand with Denver Arts & Venues to implement the Denver Music Strategy. This collaboration is set to bring about a significant change, with a focus on enhancing the preparedness, safety, and sustainability of music events in the city.
At the helm of Majestic Collaborations is Matthew Ché Kowal, a seasoned professional with a wealth of experience in running festivals, particularly those that prioritize sustainability. Kowal's work extends beyond music festivals, as he consults with businesses, organizations, and government agencies, as well as creatives, to advance best practices in disaster preparedness and sustainability for gatherings of all kinds.
Kowal's approach to disaster preparedness and sustainability is comprehensive, encompassing life safety, health, public welfare, legal concerns, emergency plans, and specific aspects such as crowd management, waste, water, and power systems. His teachings emphasize integrating trauma-informed practices, gender safety, and harm reduction while maximizing community engagement and cooperation with local government and non-traditional response partners.
One of Kowal's key projects is his work on the challenges related to music festivals and disaster recovery, not only in Denver but beyond. This includes lessons learned from critical incidents such as the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival shooting, where he highlights security considerations for pop-up venues, coordinated emergency response, recovery processes, and trauma care for attendees and staff.
Kowal's work also includes partnerships with organizations like Create Denver (Denver Arts & Venues). Through this partnership, he developed the Arts & Cultural Network for Emergency Preparedness survey and study to help develop new models for skill-sharing between event and festival production personnel and local agencies. This partnership received a grant from Performing Arts Readiness (funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation) to serve as a regional circuit host in emergency preparedness planning practices for cultural entities.
Matthew Ché Kowal's work extends to the digital sphere as well. The Innovating Music Podcast, which explores how tech is changing how we create, collaborate, and form communities around music, features Kowal as a guest. In these discussions, he shares his insights on how festivals can help heal from disasters and the role of technology in enhancing the safety and sustainability of music events.
Kowal's past includes a 10-year stint at New Belgium, where he served as the creative director of over 100 festivals. During this time, he coordinated partnerships between brands, artists, and non-profit organizations, and he raised over $5 million for community organizations while advancing the awareness of over a million attendees about various causes such as people-powered transportation, art, and music.
For those interested in learning more about Majestic Collaborations, Kowal can be reached via email at [email protected].
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- Matthew Ché Kowal, through his work with Majestic Collaborations, is leveraging technology on the Innovating Music Podcast to discuss how tech can enhance the safety and sustainability of music events.
- In collaboration with organizations like Create Denver (Denver Arts & Venues), Kowal is integrating technology into his disaster preparedness and sustainability initiatives to improve emergency planning practices for music and cultural events.
