Local X Change founders bring 'Studio Stream' project to Johnstown; will return Friday

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Camped out Tuesday in the Bottle Works parking lot was an otherworldly vehicle complete with space-inspired doodads and related gizmos, all with the goal of promoting rural teenagers’ voices and teaching them practical skills.

Indiana County-based art and education nonprofit Local X Change co- founders Sean Derry and Sharon Massey brought their Studio Stream project to the area for the day to record music, poetry, interviews, podcasts, plays or whatever else area youths wanted to.

“The overall goal is we want teens to discover self-confidence and agency with technology and with their own voices and identities,” Massey said.

The pair of Indiana University of Pennsylvania art faculty members have collaborated on projects since 2017 and were recently awarded a Remake Learning Moonshot Grant, funding an opportunity to reenvision traditional learning.

Massey and Derry are undertaking this mission with Studio Stream, a free mobile audio recording studio that teens can use to record whatever they want, which will be broadcast later this year through a web-based radio station they plan to launch.

Their command center is a refurbished 1995 Suzuki Carry mini-truck they’ve painted in a metallic rose gold and outfitted to resemble an extraterrestrial explorastion vehicle they call an earthbound communications satellite.

All of their equipment, including an octagonal metallic silver tent used as the recording space, packs into the truck so they can travel between locations.

Derry said that prior to Johnstown, he and Massey took their project to Brownsville and Indiana.

“We’re getting a variety of content,” Derry said. “We feel good about the project and are excited.”

In addition to the recording aspect, Massey and Derry are teaching students how to solder so they can create their own solar-powered Bluetooth speaker that looks like a satellite.

The pair said they wanted a hands-on aspect of the project, which is why they incorporated this work.

Matthew Lamb, Bottle Works executive director, said hosting Studio Stream at the Cambria City location was a natural fit, especially with the arts center’s various summer camps that engage with area teens and provide them a creative outlet.

“I like the creative aspect of it,” Lamb said.

He added that he was more than happy to allow Derry and Massey to use the lot when they asked.

Studio Stream will be back in Johnstown from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Greater Johnstown YMCA on Haynes Street in Kernville for the Safe Space event.

Derry said future recording sessions in the area will be announced in the future at www.localxchange.org and on the group’s social media.