Case Study: Yerrrspace Pop-Up Series

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Timeline: July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023
Project Type: Community Arts Programming, Event Production
Services: Project Management, Event Marketing
Clients/Partners: YerrrSpace Arts & Culture Initiative
Producer: Victoria Velazquez

Overview & Objective

The YerrrSpace Pop-Up Series was a six-event cultural program spotlighting Jersey City’s creative entrepreneurs and performing artists. The series paired musicians and local businesses to co-curate themed performance showcases. Each event was designed as a dynamic intersection of art, commerce, and community—centering marginalized voices and transforming live performances into immersive storytelling and small business activities. By fostering artist-entrepreneur collaborations and reinvesting resources into the local creative economy, YeeerSpace aimed to strengthen economic pathways, promote cultural pride, and amplify the stories of Jersey City’s Black, Brown, and immigrant communities.

Strategy & Execution

Brand Strategy & Community-Building

Victoria positioned YerrrSpace as a hyperlocal cultural platform rooted in joy, equity, and self-expression. Drawing on Jersey City’s signature greeting—“yerrr”—the series celebrated multilingual, multiethnic, and multigenerational identity. Each pop-up was co-designed by an artist and an entrepreneur to reflect shared heritage, from Afro-Caribbean soundscapes to queer-centered Pride aesthetics. Events offered curated stage design, custom product displays, and collaborative branding to reflect the story of each pair. The result: vibrant, community-led experiences that honored the intersection of culture and commerce.

Fundraising & Budgeting

YerrrSpace was funded through a balanced mix of public grant support, earned income, and in-kind contributions. The budget strategy emphasized accessibility and equity: no vendor fees were charged, all artists were compensated fairly for both rehearsal and performance time, and entrepreneurs retained 100% of their sales. Ticket prices were kept low to ensure community access while still supporting basic operational needs. The project also relied on substantial in-kind support, including donated venue space and materials from Nine Lives Studios, as well as unpaid labor and creative direction from VPM and dedicated community volunteers—reflecting a collaborative investment in the local creative economy.

Strategic Partnerships & Institutional Leverage

Strategic partnerships were essential to the success of the YeeerSpace Pop-Up series, helping to secure visibility, operational efficiency, and authentic community engagement. Nine Lives Studios, a local recording and arts hub, provided critical infrastructure support, including access to rehearsal space, equipment, and on-site coordination. In addition, four local businesses partnered as event hosts, helping to lower venue rental costs and serving as neighborhood-level promotional channels through foot traffic and in-store outreach. Women of Color on Broadway Inc. played a multifaceted role—supporting artist recruitment, guiding the project's DEI strategy, and serving as fiscal sponsor, which strengthened the revenue model and opened pathways for donor contributions. Local entrepreneurs participated as co-creators and product collaborators, embodying the program’s commitment to community-driven creativity. City partners—including the Jersey City Arts Council, Office of Cultural Affairs, and Council President Joyce Watterman’s office—amplified the program’s reach through institutional networks and communications. To extend the project’s digital presence, VPM launched a curated Spotify playlist and a Jersey City artist directory, offering lasting visibility and discovery opportunities for local creatives.

Legacy | Community | Brand Framework

Victoria used her proprietary framework to ensure long-term cultural value and neighborhood relevance:

Legacy: Reputation | Credibility | Resources

  • Reputation: Built on VPM’s established track record with national media and institutional partnerships like Playbill and PBS.

  • Credibility: Supported by a competitive municipal arts grant and aligned with Jersey City’s goals of equitable, culturally relevant programming.

  • Resources: Leveraged city-backed funding, in-kind support, and community volunteerism to execute a high-quality, low-cost model.

Community: Voice | Culture | Engagement

  • Voice: Centered underrepresented artists, small businesses, and local families as creators, not just consumers.

  • Culture: Each event theme (e.g., Pride, Women-owned businesses, Latinx fusion, AAPI, etc.) drew from real identities, languages, and lived experiences.

  • Engagement: Over 1,000 total attendees participated in person, and artists/vendors continued collaborating post-event through directory features and content sharing.

Brand: Story | Offering | Impact

  • Story: YerrrSpace reframed live performance as a platform for visibility, self-determination, and community resilience.

  • Offering: A pay-it-forward model where artists were compensated, vendors sold freely, and community members received a memorable, low-cost experience.

  • Impact:

    • 6 themed pop-ups

    • 1,056 community members reached

    • 50+ creatives and entrepreneurs hired

    • 100+ submissions to the YerrrSpace Artist Directory

    • Measurable sales, social media traction, and press engagement

Campaign Type: Event Marketing Campaign
Role: Campaign Project Manager, Marketing Lead
Timeline: September 2022 – October 2022

Campaign Goal + Core Elements

Purpose - To merge performance, storytelling, and small business activation into a series of artist-led pop-up events. The campaign aimed to elevate local visibility, increase equity for marginalized creatives, and provide replicable infrastructure for sustainable community programming.

Key Campaign Components

  • Multi-channel email marketing via Cultural Affairs, JCEDC, and Council President Joyce Watterman’s office

  • Branded flyers distributed in schools, rec centers, churches, and family-focused social media groups

  • Press coverage in the Jersey City Cultural Affairs newsletter, positioning YerrrSpace as a model for creative entrepreneurship.

  • Digital playlists released on Spotify and Apple Music tied to each show’s music theme.

  • Organic artist content, including rehearsal reels, vendor stories, and community testimonials.

Target Audiences

  • Black, Latino, immigrant, and working-class families in Jersey City

  • Youth and student performers

  • Local entrepreneurs and microbusinesses

  • Cultural organizations and press seeking community-rooted content

  • Neighborhood artists and cultural workers

Key Campaign Activities

Digital Content Marketing - The campaign’s digital strategy centered around family-friendly flyers that highlighted engaging activities designed for all ages. These flyers and event features were actively shared on hyperlocal Instagram and Facebook pages such as @jcfamilies, @jerseycitymoms, and @jcmusicblog to reach targeted community audiences. To complement the in-person experience, curated playlists were developed for each show, extending the event themes into popular digital music platforms and creating a seamless connection between live programming and online engagement.

Media & Press Strategy - The project gained valuable exposure through press coverage in the Jersey City Cultural Affairs newsletter, which included an interview with community leaders and the YeeerSpace creative director, positioning the series as a model for creative entrepreneurship. Email blasts from both the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC) and the Jersey City Arts Council further promoted each pop-up event. Additional buzz was generated through featured highlights of local vendors, such as Ledy G Empanadas, who became community favorites and helped draw attendees.

Community Engagement & Student Involvement - Outreach efforts included distributing flyers to after-school programs, public libraries, and arts-focused nonprofits to reach families directly. Community volunteers played a vital role on show days by supporting logistics, photography, and artist hospitality. Partnerships with schools and churches were leveraged to personally invite families, strengthening local trust and participation.

Grassroots & Organic Outreach - Artists and entrepreneurs helped amplify the campaign by reposting custom-designed social media flyers across their personal networks. Guerrilla marketing tactics—including distinctive vendor signage and engaging early-morning foot traffic during event setup—created heightened local awareness. Trusted community channels such as church announcements, newsletters, and classroom promotions deepened engagement by reinforcing the program’s authenticity.

Experiential & Cross-Platform Storytelling - To create memorable experiences that extended beyond the events themselves, taggable moments like live portraits of attendees and vendor purchases were captured and shared. Instagram Stories and artist reels provided dynamic, shareable content that kept audiences engaged online. Post-event recap visuals documented successes and served as compelling tools for future funding opportunities and community reflection..

Metrics & Results

  • 6 pop-up showcases

  • 1,056 community members engaged

  • 50+ creatives and entrepreneurs hired

  • 100+ submissions to the online artist directory

  • 100% of vendors reported audience interest, brand exposure, or sales growth

  • 0 vendor fees, 100% free programming for families

Conclusion & Looking Ahead

YerrrSpace proved that small-budget, values-aligned programming can produce wide-reaching, lasting results when rooted in community voice and creative equity. With its cross-sector collaboration model, hyperlocal focus, and joyful spirit, the series serves as a blueprint for future artist-driven placemaking across Jersey City and beyond. Looking forward, VPM plans to expand the YerrrSpace Pop-Up series as a seasonal platform for showcasing creative excellence and neighborhood entrepreneurship—scaling joy, equity, and visibility for years to come.