ArtHaus Empowers Hudson County Youth with a Summer of Music Production, DJing, and Collaborative Songwriting

ArtHaus Hudson recently celebrated the successful completion of its immersive 8-week Summer Music & DJ Program. Located at its vibrant creative hub in Weehawken, New Jersey, the program hosted over 20 talented young creators from across Hudson County for a summer defined by pure fun, hands-on learning, and deep creative growth.

Designed for aspiring young artists, the program provided students with an “emotionally safe” environment to think outside the box, collaborate with peers, and learn directly from real-world industry professionals. With a highly personalized 3:1 student-to-teacher ratio, students gained practical experience in music production labs, DJing, and live instrumentation.

Original Music

Over the course of the 8-week program, students achieved an extraordinary milestone: creating and finishing a brand-new, original song every single week. Utilizing state-of-the-art tools like Ableton Live and Logic Pro, the young producers worked on beat making, composition, and multi-instrumental arrangement, including keys, piano, guitar, bass, and voice. Daily jam sessions and lyric-writing challenges allowed students to blend technical theory with collaborative storytelling.

World-Class Mentorship and Special Guest Workshops

To elevate their creative journey, ArtHaus welcomed a stellar lineup of guest instructors and industry mentors:

  • Shelley Thomas (Lyric Writing & Vocal Coaching): Vocalist, composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Shelley Thomas joined the program each week to lead workshops in lyric writing and vocal coaching. A Berklee College of Music and CalArts alumna who has recorded on two Grammy-winning albums and worked with legendary artists like Yo-Yo Ma and Residente, Thomas brought a wealth of global music expertise. Her sessions focused on helping students build “creative confidence” and discover the healing, therapeutic power of alchemical artistic expression.
  • David Grandison Jr. (Special Guest): Industry professional David Grandison Jr., curator for The Music Origins Project, also joined as a special guest, sharing his rich insights into musical history, cultural origins of genres, and creative curation.
  • Journeyy Belton (“Building Your Own Paradise”): Child music prodigy Journeyy Belton hosted a highly anticipated special week of programming inspired by his breakout original song. This focused week immersed students in sharing, creating, performance, and advanced songwriting.

The summer program concluded with participants leaving energized, inspired, and incredibly proud of their artistic development. Parents have raved about the transformative experience, describing the program as one where children are simultaneously “challenged creatively and socially” while receiving the dedicated guidance they need to thrive.

ArtHaus Hudson stands as a vibrant hub for the arts in Hudson County, offering premier programming in music production, DJing, after-school programs, and creative workshops. Dedicated to connecting the community with creativity, ArtHaus provides expert mentorship and hands-on access to professional tools in Weehawken, New Jersey.

Contact Information: 4700 Park Avenue, Weehawken, NJ 07086, Phone: 551-327-6449, Email: arthaushudson@gmail.com