Darrell Bridges

Darrell Bridges is the Founder and Director of Arts and Education Continuum, Inc. (A&EC), a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. His activities at A&EC include the development of multi-disciplinary educational services for students at all levels, along with partnerships with a number of other non-profits and business in the areas of arts, education and social services, and legacy preservation.

Darrell has been a highly committed music business professional for more than 30 years. Through A&EC, Darrell also provides management services to Craig Harris, Jay Rodriguez, Eddie Allen & Yayoi Ikawa.

Darrell’s in-the-trenches experiences have included a wide array of activities, including concert production, business administration, tour and stage management, publishing, photography, studio management, and other tasks that spring up in day-to-day music business endeavors. He has produced shows at a variety of New York area clubs and larger venues like Symphony Space, La Guardia Community College, Grand Central Station (Music in Motion) and Hudson River Museum.
Most recently the weekly Friday night Harlem Jazz Series located at Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church, West 122nd Street, Harlem, NYC.

Like most music business professionals, he began his career as a musician, playing electric bass with a number of New York-based blues groups. 

From 1990-1992 he owned and operated Basement Studios, a fully equipped rehearsal studio in Brooklyn, N.Y. Between 1995 and 2000, Darrell was a member of the audio ministry of the Greater Allen Cathedral gaining experience on a wide array of audio equipment. 

In 1996, he founded Tri-State Blues, a newspaper that covered the Blues scene in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and later Pennsylvania, which he published until 1998. 

In 1999 he co-founded the New York Blues & Jazz Society and was its first president. (Darrell was also staff photographer for the Society, as well as Tri-State Blues.) 

Before founding Darrell Bridges Entertainment, Darrell was President of Simron Productions from 1990-2000. Concurrently, he served as consultant and producer for Mark Sonder Music, Inc., producing musical events for corporate functions, private parties and club engagements. 

2005 through 2007 Darrell was the booking agent for Dinosaur Bar B Que, in Harlem, NY. He also maintains professional associations with a number of other organizations, including the Blues Foundation, Jazz Foundation of America, and the Rhythm and Blues Foundation, Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation among others. 

In 2006, Darrell decided to go back to school to complete one of his long-time goals, earning his bachelor’s degree. In June of 2008 Darrell received a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Bachelor of Science in Human Development (Child & Adolescent Studies) from Empire State College, New York City. 

As part of his activities with A&EC, in 2010 Darrell also implemented the SMC Summer Enrichment and After School Programs located at St. Matthews Community A.M.E. Church in Hollis, Queens. 

In 2013 Darrell starting working at Forestdale, Inc. a foster care agency in Forest Hills, NY. As the Mentor Coordinator he spearheaded and stewarded the launch of Future Prep/STYA - Successfully Transitioning Youth to Adolescence, a mentoring program for all Forestdale preteens (ages 9-12) and children of the South Queens community. The goal of the program was to build social skills, cultivate positive peer and adult relationships, and expose children to discussions and activities that promote healthy development. In 2014 Darrell also took over the after-school program as the Tutor Coordinator. After 5 years in the Hollis office Darrell went to work at the main Forestdale location in Forest Hills as the Career Development Specialist. On December 15, 2020 Darrell retired from Forestdale, and is continuing to oversee all of A&EC’s various activities while also developing new programs and projects with a variety of partnering organizations.

Darrell is presently on the Board of Directors of Continuum Culture & Arts, Inc - https://www.continuumculture.org/  and Boundless Progress Inc. - https://www.boundlessnow.org/

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