Usher has launched a new internship program in connection with his upcoming R&B: Raymond and Brown tour with Chris Brown.
The singer's nonprofit, Usher's New Look (UNL), partnered with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Detroit to launch the Entertainment Industry Club: Live Touring Edition — a workforce development program to help its participants build career pipelines in the world of touring.
The initiative, which is being integrated into Usher's tour with Chris Brown this year, will feature 10 interns from Detroit and Atlanta who are at least 18 years old. The participants will get hands-on training in aspects of touring, such as production, operations, and wardrobe.
To prepare for their roles, interns will take part in pre-tour training so they’re ready to go come showtime.
Another aspect of the program is Spark Sessions: "Making of the Tour," which will give Boys & Girls Clubs youth across the country behind-the-scenes access to the forthcoming trek.
Usher expressed the importance of the internship program in an official statement. "At Usher’s New Look, we’ve always believed talent is everywhere, but access is not," Usher said. "This program is opening doors and putting young professionals in a position to learn, grow, and work inside the entertainment trades."
Shawn Wilson, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Detroit and Co-Founder of Usher’s New Look nonprofit, also released a statement about the program.
"The live touring industry is a multi-billion dollar global business — yet access to the entertainment trades remains limited," he said. "Together, we’re changing that by placing young professionals on one of the most historic tours and turning access into real pathways to lasting careers."
Applications for the internship are available until 11:59 P.M. on May 9. Interviews will be conducted from May 11 through May 18, and the actual internship kicks will occur from May 27 through August 10. Visit Usher’s New Look website to apply.
The R&B: Raymond and Brown tour kicks off on June 26 in Denver, Colorado, and continues through the rest of the year, when it wraps on December 12 in Tampa, Florida.
