On the heels of July’s announcement that the Underground Music Showcase (UMS) would take a final bow in its current form, it was announced Monday, February 9, that the festival will likely live on and take a new form. UMS announced that new ownership and a new location are on the horizon, hoping to move the fest to the RiNo arts district in 2026, with RiNo Business Improvement District taking the reins as a new co-owner. Youth on Record, the festival’s current co-owner, will sell the entirety of their shares for an undisclosed amount, likely by the end of February.

In 2022, Youth on Record (YOR) joined Two Parts as minority co-owners of the Underground Music Showcase, acquiring 30% shares of Colorado’s largest and longest running music festival. Through this innovative, first-of-its-kind joint ownership venture, YOR helped UMS transform into a music festival on a mission–prioritizing artist care and wellness, sober spaces, public safety, career pathways for emerging artists, and accessibility. YOR’s co-ownership also infused philanthropic and government support into the festival, carrying it through a challenging post-pandemic landscape.

Regarding the new location, UMS being on Broadway mattered to YOR, and the organization spent years exploring what it would take to keep the fest there. In the end, they couldn’t find a sustainable path forward in that location. What Broadway has meant to this festival and to the community is not lost on Youth on Record, and they plan to continue advocating for the district in their ongoing efforts to advance the Colorado music ecosystem.

Putting mission first had national ripples. Festivals throughout Colorado and the United States took note of YOR’s impact-centered strategy at UMS, with many of them–Roots Music Festival in Boulder, Steel City Music Showcase in Pueblo, and Treefort Music Festival in Boise, ID–borrowing from the model. 

Now, having laid a strong, mission-aligned foundation for UMS to continue, YOR’s next chapter is being guided by the current moment in the United States. 

“The transition out of the co-ownership and management of UMS allows us to meet this moment in our city and in our nation. Young people and families urgently need more support, access to meaningful work and creative spaces, and protection at a time when their basic freedoms and lives are on the line. Youth on Record’s best contribution to our community right now is to focus our full energy on young people and build the future they deserve.” - Jami Duffy

You can read a detailed account of where YOR goes from here and why this moment matters on our blog.