Ten local musicians are performing at the Grey Eagle in a talent competition called Hidden Voices, organized by the nonprofit Asheville Poverty Initiative. Their common thread: All live below the federal poverty line, which is about $30,000 a year.
“We wanted to provide some kind of platform where people living in poverty can be seen as more than their circumstance,” said Shannon Spencer, director of the Asheville Poverty Initiative. “What we know first hand is how gifted musically so many living in poverty are and just don’t have the resources or the networking to market that.”
Among Monday’s musicians, two are without housing, two are in recovery houses and the others are in shared-living spaces. The judged competition is 7pm next Monday at the Grey Eagle in Asheville.
