Rather than simply mourn the loss of their late daughter Emily Dunn, metro Atlanta residents Deborah and Chris Dunn are actively carrying on her legacy.
“When people ask me what I’m doing now, I answer, ‘I do Well Dunn,’” Deborah Dunn said with a palpable sense of sadness, tinged with parental pride. “It’s actually what keeps us going.”
Celebrating its 10th year, the Well Dunn Foundation wascreated as an offshoot of Well Dunn Entertainment, the business Emily Dunn formed while she was a student at Washington University in St. Louis. Dunn, who grew up in Atlanta and attended the Lovett School, started Well Dunn to help promote local and national music events.
After graduating from college, she relocated to San Francisco for jobs with event management companySuperfly and the Outside Lands music festival.
In 2011, during one of her frequent phone calls to her mother, “Emily was telling me how much she loved her life and how happy she was with all of her plans,” Deborah Dunn recalled.
Seconds later, a wayward bus ended Emily’s vibrant life on the crosswalk of a small side street. “He was an inexperienced driver and he drove right past a stop sign,” said her mother. “Emily had so many dreams and so much more to give, we just decided to carry on in her memory.”
Ten years ago, the Dunns turned their daughter’s brand and concept into a foundation to help like-minded young adults across the country break into the world of entertainment and concert promotion.
“Emily taught me that there are so many aspects of a live production,” said Deborah Dunn. “From stage management to port-a-potties, it’s all important. To Emily, every part of the production was equally valuable, and we are determined to carry on that tradition.”
Credit: Jenni Girtman
Credit: Jenni Girtman
The organization offers a wide swath of immersive opportunities within the industry for young people eager to learn the basics of the business.
“There are just so many talented people out there,” said Chris Dunn, who handles the foundation’s business affairs. “All they really need is a way to show how great they truly are. It can be confusing and frustrating to even get an interview with some of these companies, but our job is to help connect the right person with the right contact. Then they take it from there — and the results have been incredible.”
The association seeks out and rewards future industry leaders, encouraging their goals while offering scholarships, internships, and job placement assistance within the formidable walls of the live performance business.
“Deborah definitely feels Emily’s spirit when she talks to a lot of the talented young people who apply with us,” said Chris Dunn. “They have the same aspirations, the same goals and, yes, the same disappointments. Our goal is to just open some doors for them. Then they can have a real chance to finally prove themselves. We offer a good connection more than anything.”
David “5-1″ Norman, an Atlanta-based tour production manager and musician, said that pairing those starting out in the industry with industry leaders is a win-win situation.
“I wish I’d had access to a foundation like Well Dunn when I was first starting out,” Norman said. “I hear from so many of the kids who started out as interns through Well Dunn. They, in turn, are eager to help bring in new talent for the companies they work for now. It carries on as it holds true to Emily’s original intentions and ideas.A week on the road with a major touring act is an education in and of itself, in so many ways. Then these kids rise to the challenge and really shine.”
To celebrate a decade of hard work and enduring relationships, the foundation is hosting a gathering in Marietta this Saturday night, on the eve of what would have been Emily’s 35th birthday.
“Our extended family gets bigger every year, and we’re delighted to share some of the highlights of the past decade with our Atlanta friends,” said Chris Dunn. It’s a nice way to honor Emily’s life, her accomplishments and to create even more connections and partnerships.”
“I know Emily is looking down on us and smiling about all that we’ve done in her name,” said Deborah Dunn. “We always ended our calls by saying ‘Love you more.’ We’re excited to share some of that love with as many brilliant people as we possibly can as we continue to honor her legacy. Ten years later, I really do think Well Dunn is doing well.”
EVENT PREVIEW
Well Dunn: 10th Anniversary Party. 6-9 p.m. Nov. 19. Free. Lighthouse Marketing. 531 Roselane St., Marietta. 310-351-4232, welldunn.org.
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