The Bucks County Music Project, headed by local entrepreneurs, is an ambitious new proposal for a large, nonprofit music venue situated in Bucks County. At its heart would be a 5,000 to 7,000 capacity arena that’d host popular artists.
The venue, which does not have a location yet, would feature multiple buildings: a 300 to 400 seat locale with numerous rehearsal spaces, state-of-the-art recording studios, and dedicated rooms for world-class music mentorship. The plan emphasizes serving the under-resourced youth of Bucks County with music enrichment opportunities.
The smaller venue would come first, possibly in 2025 or 2026. The arena would follow in 2027 or 2028, according to a rough timeline.
Current project leader and lifelong musician Richard Towey called the 5,000 to 7,000 range the “sweet spot” for large-scale concert venues to capitalize on ticket sales. “Think the Electric Factory, but in Bucks County,” Towey's son Cole enthusiastically exclaimed.
Towey’s day job is as a national sales director for Primerica, a financial services company.
The project’s outline was unveiled Monday night at the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center of Bucks County on Old Easton Road at an event that was attended by Bucks County leaders, local business owners and musicians. The Music Project’s lineup of leaders and supporters includes Lou Kassa, president and CEO of PA Biotech Center; Jeane Vidoni, president and CEO of Penn Community Bank; Jim Brexler, president and CEO of Doylestown Health; Marissa Christie, CEO of United Way of Bucks County; and Ben Rusilowski, president of Delaware Valley University.
The Music Project also has a network of successful fundraisers, music festival organizers, and musicians like legendary jazz artist Jack DeJohnette and his wife Lydia.
The team has acquired a set of drums used during The Who’s Quadrophenia tour from 2012 to 2013. Zak Starkey manned the kit on the tour. Starkey, the son of legendary Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, has been The Who’s drummer since 1996.
The drums will be displayed at the School of Rock Doylestown, where drummers can sign up for a chance to play them with a minimum donation of $1 toward the Bucks County Music Project.
Its mission is to “create world-class experiences that will bring resources back to our county and enhance the quality of life in Bucks County,” Towey said. “We aim to create a social impact in our community through music.”
The Bucks County Music Project’s leaders want to boost the economic prosperity of Bucks County not only with Towey's claim that the venue has the potential to generate hundreds of millions of dollars a year for the county; but also by supporting local businesses with VIP packages and working with existing music programs like Doylestown’s School of Rock.
Matt Snyder, an instructor for the School of Rock when asked for his thoughts about the project, said he has “nothing but excitement. It’s what we do and what we are passionate about.”
The Music Project aspires to support local artists by providing them with recording rooms and employment opportunities, music lessons from industry professionals and a free instrument program.
Additionally, the project aims to provide financial and entrepreneurial consulting services for musicians trying to make a career out of their art. Furthermore, Towey envisions a system where local venues help sponsor the music project and the project matches the payment that the artist receives from the local venue whilst advocating for fair compensation for the artist.
The Bucks County Music Project aims to solicit individual donations, tap government funds, leverage local sponsorships and court corporate donations.
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