formerly known as Music for Your Inbox

Mission Statement

Middle Ear Project is a 501(c)3 curated arts presenter who commissions and supports artists working in hard-to-define, experimental genres. Our mission is to foster a community around experimental arts by presenting multidisciplinary artworks that allow audiences to move through their feelings and give them the tools to confront a complicated and rapidly changing world. 

We achieve our mission by 

  1. Facilitating new art by commissioning, supporting, and compensating artists

  2. Providing audiences with access to experimental art, especially audiences who struggle to access art due to disability, caregiving, or geography

  3. Creating a high-quality archive of the underrepresented art of our time for musicologists and audiences of the future

Library Arts Program

Middle Ear Project’s Library Arts Program brings free visual art and short art films to local libraries.

We provide local libraries with postcard-sized prints of original visual artwork for patrons to take home. On the back, a QR code links to a short film exploring similar themes. Prints are displayed alongside librarian-selected books that connect with the art, creating a multidisciplinary experience that’s free and accessible to all.

Programming

Community Screenings

Three times a year, we host free, in-person film screenings of 3-4 experimental films to provide an opportunity for our local audience to gather, build community, and engage in dialogue about art.

Our curatorial focus is on sound and music films, a unique lens in Los Angeles’ vibrant film community.

Music for Your Inbox

Music for Your Inbox is a virtual, low-cost, monthly membership series that presents sound films and thematically paired visual artworks.

Through on-demand streaming and postcard prints mailed to audience members, MFYI provides at-home audiences with access to contemporary music and visual art, especially audiences who struggle to access art due to disability, caregiving, or geography.

Archives

Our commissioned films, visual art, and artist interviews create a high-quality archive of the underrepresented art of our time for musicologists and audiences of the future.

Our complete film and visual art catalogue can be accessed through Music for Your Inbox. Artists Chats are available as a free resource on our YouTube Channel.

Board Members

Cassia Streb, President and Co-Executive Director

Jennifer Bewerse, Treasurer and Co-Executive Director

Catherine Yun, Secretary

Colbert Davis, Director

Alisa Slaughter, Director

Lauren Pratt, Director

Megan Ralston-Munger, Director

History

Middle Ear Project was founded in November 2020 under the name Music for Your Inbox by artists Jennifer Bewerse and Cassia Streb. Launched in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project addressed two urgent needs: artists were struggling to find paid opportunities, and audiences were seeking meaningful ways to engage with art from home. We created a virtual platform where artists could experiment, share new work, and be fairly compensated—while offering audiences easy, on-demand access to contemporary art.

As pandemic restrictions eased, the project’s distinctive blend of music, film, and visual art continued to resonate with both artists and audiences. In 2023, we expanded our programming reach by launching two major initiatives: a partnership with the Los Angeles Public Library and a series of in-person screenings. Both programs are free to the public and designed to make contemporary art more accessible to local communities. These efforts expanded our annual audience reach from approximately 1,200 households to over 3,700.

In February 2024, we received 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, allowing us to expand our funding opportunities and strengthen the organization’s long-term sustainability. Now in our sixth year, we remain committed to fair artist compensation and program accessibility.

Today, Middle Ear Project is a vital hub for experimental artists in Los Angeles County. By offering innovative in-person and virtual programming, we bring contemporary art to new audiences without competing with existing cultural institutions—contributing instead to a more abundant and inclusive regional arts ecosystem.