4All Studios Proves the YMCA Really Is for All

I would venture to say that many of you played YMCA sports when you were kids. Or maybe you work out at the Y. Perhaps your children took swimming lessons at the Y. The YMCA is part of the fabric of our lives. But the Y is more than just sports and a gym.

When Mike E. Brown became president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth, he saw the opportunity to expand the Y’s offerings so all youth and adults could find community at the Y. One of his dreams was to open a recording studio and fine arts wing.

Wait, what? A YMCA recording studio?

That’s right. A YMCA recording studio. And it’s called 4All Studios.

I recently spoke with Jenny Bishop, the Y’s new Executive Director of Visual and Performing Arts, about 4All Studios.

Photo courtesy of the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth

“When it came to the vision behind [4All Studios],” Jenny shared, “We wanted every person in our community to find a place here at the YMCA. Whether that’s through sports or the arts, we want to provide that space to explore and learn.”

The music scene in Fort Worth has exploded in recent years, with hometown musicians like Leon Bridges and Abraham Alexander reaching global audiences and the Visit Fort Worth emphasis on support of all local artists through Hear Fort Worth. Unfortunately, booking time in a recording studio can be prohibitively expensive, but 4All Studios aims to change that.

“Studio time is expensive,” Jenny said. “So when a nonprofit steps in and says, ‘We’re going to make the time and technology accessible to all,’ it has an impact. 4All is affordable enough and accessible enough for everyone to be able to use it.”

Photo courtesy of the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth

Just a year ago, 4All Studios space was an unused racquetball court in the Amon G. Carter, Jr. Downtown YMCA. It’s now a state-of-the-art recording studio where any established artist would be pleased to record their next smash hit, but it’s open to and affordable for everyone. In addition to providing affordable access to recording studios, 4All Studios provides classes for children and adults interested in the arts.

Jenny, a skilled teacher in fine arts and a professional actress, has been working to create a schedule of classes for all ages and skill levels where classes are led by accomplished instructors.

For adults, there are dance classes (ballet, jazz, musical theater, and ballroom), acting classes, and painting classes. For elementary and middle school kids, 4All offers painting, recording, music, and editing classes. Teens can take classes in voice-over acting, acting for the camera, musical theater dancing, and more.

“The classes for kids are really tailored to what they might not get in a school experience,” Jenny said. “They’re meant to supplement what they’re learning in their fine arts program.”

4All’s first fall session runs from September through October, while the first winter session runs from November through December. The children’s winter classes will perform a production of Elf, Jr. “It will be VERY simple as we’re just starting,” Jenny said. “But I’m so excited about it!”

Jenny and her team are offering this specialized instruction to help cultivate well-rounded children and stepping in to offer an outlet for those kids in the community who have varied interests.

4All Studios isn’t content to offer state-of-the-art recording facilities and a comprehensive schedule of classes for children and adults. Oh no. A new podcast studio is opening soon, as are photographic and video studios. There will be Mommy and Me music classes, paint and sip classes once a month, music bingo nights, and watercolor sessions in Burnett Park once the weather cools and we aren’t in danger of spontaneously combusting when we step outside.

You don’t even have to be a member of the YMCA to participate in the classes or special activities or to use the studios, although members do receive a discount.

And if you’re not an expert, don’t worry. 4All Studios, just like every program of the YMCA, is designed to help you grow.

The YMCA is making sure that there is something 4All Studios for everyone to express themselves through art and music. If you love the arts but aren’t well-versed in them, or if you’re a professional, you are welcome. The YMCA will do what it is known for – meeting people where they are in their journey and helping them flourish.