The Hollywood nightclub music scene for rising musicians isn’t necessarily the usual spot you’d find Biola students. Few places near Biola’s campus offer a wholesome environment where rising music artists can connect with other students to create genuine relationships.

Founded in 2023 by Gem Ceniza, Emmaline and Miles Pennell, Orange County Artist Collective (OCAC) was established to bridge the gap between artists who often feel isolated when creating and releasing music, providing a community to foster collaboration and connection. 

OCAC gathers students and their friends from schools in and near Orange County, such as Biola, Vanguard, Chapman and Concordia University Irvine, inviting them to play songs in their “Writers Round” events. These nights are hosted at different venues around Orange County, most recently at Civitas Coffee on Oct. 18, in close proximity to Biola’s campus for students to come perform, listen to great music and connect with other creatives in their community.

A STAGE FOR CULTIVATING CREATIVITY

Gem Ceniza, an Orange County local and long-time musician, helped found OCAC last year in hopes to unite artists who may not get the opportunity to share their music in their usual creative spaces.

“My heart for this is to have a safe space for students to play their original music outside of bars and clubs,” Ceniza said. “Many Biola students have a lot of original songs, but they usually sing for a ministry or chapel and don’t [have a chance to] do their original songs.”

For the group’s recent Writers Round, 11 musicians from Biola gathered to play in four rounds, with four to five people who played one to two songs each. The songs ranged from singer-songwriter ballads on piano to folk and indie melodies on guitar. Civitas Coffee was packed with people sitting on the floor and crowding the room to listen to the performances, while baristas served coffee throughout the night. 

OCAC has grown throughout 2024, adding media interns to their team and working to expand their events to be hosted at bigger venues next year. The collective’s vision remains strong, fostering connections and gaining recognition for rising artists across a wide range of genres, with events at Chapman and Vanguard to finish out the month of October.

“We want to do something special next year, especially for students, to let them activate their dreams and God’s dream [for them],” Ceniza said.