FAQ
Questions we get asked
About the organization, the programs, submitting work, applying for an internship, giving, and using our recordings. If your question is not here, ask us directly.
The organization
About Sound System Culture
What does Sound System Culture actually do?
Four things. We produce non-commercial radio and podcasts through the Listen & Be Heard Network. We commission, record and present new music and multimedia work. We run a paid summer internship that trains graduating high school seniors in audio journalism and production. And we build community radio and intergenerational ensemble capacity in Harlem.
Are you a registered nonprofit?
Yes. Sound System Culture, Inc. is a New York nonprofit corporation recognized as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our EIN is 39-4710847. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Organizational details are on our transparency page.
Who runs it?
The organization was founded by working artists and is led by Artistic Director Jay Rodriguez-Sierra and Executive Director Martha Cinader, who also directs the Listen & Be Heard Network. A volunteer board of directors governs. Read the bios.
Where are you based?
Our office is at 217 W. 140th Street, Suite 106, New York, NY 10030, in Harlem, where our programming is rooted. Our radio programs are carried by independent community stations across the United States, so much of the audience is nowhere near us.
How is the organization funded?
Individual donations, grants, memberships and the small catalog of limited-edition releases. We carry no advertising and we charge nothing to listen.
Listening
The programs
Does it cost anything to listen?
No. Every broadcast episode is free, on this site, at listenandbeheard.net, and in any podcast app. There is no paywall and there never will be.
How often do new episodes come out?
Weekly, with seasonal Remix and Rewind editions between seasons. The episode list on our Listen page updates itself from the podcast feed, so what you see there is always current.
I program a community radio station. Can we carry a show?
Yes, at no cost. We supply broadcast-ready episodes plus promos and station IDs. We are currently carried by more than a dozen affiliates. Get in touch and tell us your station and slot.
Can I use a clip from an episode in my own work?
Ask first. Guests and musicians retain rights to their own contributions, so we cannot grant blanket permission. For classroom and educational use we are almost always happy to say yes.
Taking part
Submissions, internships and volunteering
Can I submit my writing, poetry or music?
Yes, and there is no fee. We read poems, stories, columns, audio and show proposals year-round. Include a short bio. Keep audio poetry under five minutes and audio stories under ten. Selected work is published or broadcast and you keep your rights.
Who can apply for the internship, and is it paid?
It is paid — a stipend, not course credit in place of money. It is built for graduating high school seniors heading to college. Interns are placed on live productions and trained in journalism, podcast production, creative writing, video editing and sound design, and finish the summer with published credits and a portfolio piece. Program details.
Do you need volunteers?
Regularly — engineers, editors, mentors, photographers, grant writers and people who can run a merch table. Tell us what you do and how much time you have.
Can you perform at or produce audio for our event?
Sometimes, depending on the calendar and whether the project fits our mission. Send the date, the venue and what you have in mind.
Giving
Donations and memberships
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes, to the extent allowed by law. We are a 501(c)(3), EIN 39-4710847, and we send a written acknowledgment for every gift. Memberships include goods and services, so only the portion above their fair market value is deductible — we state that figure on the receipt.
Where does the money actually go?
Intern stipends, artist and contributor fees, studio and engineering time, equipment, and the cost of distributing free episodes to community stations. Overhead is deliberately small. Program budgets are available to donors and funders on request.
Can I give in a way other than by card?
Yes — check, employer matching gifts, sponsoring a specific program, or in-kind equipment. See the options.
Can I fund one specific thing, like a single internship?
Yes. Restricted gifts are welcome and we report back on exactly what your gift paid for. One summer internship stipend is roughly $2,500.
Do you sell my information or send a lot of email?
No, and no. We do not sell, rent or trade donor or listener information, ever. See our privacy policy.
Still stuck
Ask a person
We read everything that comes in and usually reply within a week.