The DN Concert Series was my passion project (aka my baby)—and, honestly, my favorite thing I ever brought to life in a newsroom. Inspired by NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts, I created and hosted this live-streamed music series at the Northwest Florida Daily News, turning a corner of our office into a music venue while my colleagues (sometimes begrudgingly) continued working in the background.

From 2018-2022 (with a short pause during the pandemic), I welcomed 50 musicians—from local legends to touring acts—for intimate sets that we broadcast live on social media. I did it all: booked the artists, ran the livestream, hosted on camera and promoted the series in digital and print. I even booked up to 10 artists for our annual Christmas special, turning it into a previously nonexistent holiday party for our staff.

Every video drew more than 1,000 viewers, with our most-watched concert hitting12,000 views. In a world with a lot of negative news, this was a bright spot for our community. It grew support for both our newspaper and local musicians alike. It was one of the most rewarding storytelling projects I've ever worked on. Watch the concerts in the videos section of the @NWFDailyNews Facebook page.