Volunteer - Minnesota Music Archive

Volunteer with the Minnesota Music Archive

Click here for more detailed job descriptions and how to get involved.

The Minnesota Music Archive (MMA) is a digital repository dedicated to preserving officially released recordings by Minnesota artists. Our mission is to build a living, accessible record of the state’s musical output across genres, generations, and communities. Volunteers are essential to this work.

Whether you’re a researcher, a writer, a digitization wizard, or just someone who loves Minnesota music, there’s a role for you. Explore the opportunities below and find your place in the archive.

Archive Outreach

What you’ll do:

Contact local artists, record labels, writers, and scene-makers
Introduce the Minnesota Music Archive and its mission
Solicit donations of officially released recordings
Complete submission forms and obtain streaming rights
Encourage updates and contributions to Discogs
Track outreach efforts and coordinate with the Archive Committee

Why it matters:

This role is about building bridges between artists, eras, and communities. Outreach volunteers help ensure the Minnesota Music Archive reflects the full scope of the state’s music culture. By helping create an intersection of genre, era, cultural heritage, and geography, you contribute to a more complete, inclusive, and enduring record of Minnesota’s musical legacy.

Music Cataloging

What you’ll do:

Why it matters:

Accurate cataloging is the backbone of a searchable, usable archive. Your work helps ensure that every submission is properly documented and discoverable.

Digitization

What you’ll do:

Enter qualified submissions into the Archive Submission app using their Discogs ID
Digitize CDs, vinyl, and cassettes using Vinyl Studio and CD Ripper
Verify successful digitization using File Explorer
Update the Minnesota Music Archive app to reflect digitization and create the Archive Label
Label and store the archived physical submission

Why it matters:

Digitization is a key step in making music accessible through the Minnesota Music Archive. It transforms physical recordings into searchable, shareable digital assets expanding our capacity to find, research, and promote Minnesota’s musical legacy. Without this step, the music remains hidden; with it, it becomes part of a living, growing archive.

Archive Management

What you’ll do:

Why it matters:

This role keeps the archive clean, consistent, and usable. It ensures that every recording is stored properly and that the digital archive reflects the highest standards.

Newsletter / Content Creation

What you’ll do:

Create content for the DEMO website and future newsletter
Write artist pages, fact-check bios, and contribute to archival storytelling
Research and write deep dives into artists, genres, or regional scenes
Craft comparison reviews that connect new releases to historical ones
Publish content upon Archive Committee approval

Why it matters:

Writing helps bring the archive to life connecting facts, stories, and sounds in ways that resonate with readers. Whether you’re building out artist pages, exploring the roots of a genre, or drawing lines between past and present, your work helps people engage with Minnesota’s music history in meaningful, memorable ways.

Rights Outreach

What you’ll do:

Contact artists, producers, and labels to explain the archive’s mission
Guide contributors through the rights submission process
Obtain signed streaming rights agreements
Educate contributors on copyright and archival access
Track and organize rights documentation

Why it matters:

Rights outreach ensures that the archive operates ethically and legally. It protects artists while enabling public access to their work building trust and transparency in the process.

Music Buyer

What you’ll do:

Build relationships with local record stores, artists, and labels
Identify and purchase officially released Minnesota music for the archive
Verify that recordings are not already in the archive before purchase
Coordinate with the Archive Committee to align purchases with current needs
Track purchases and donations for documentation and tax purposes

Why it matters:

Some of Minnesota’s most important music is still sitting in bins, basements, or behind the counter at local shops. Music Buyers help us fill in the gaps especially for rare, out-of-print, or self-released material. This role supports the archive’s growth through both funded acquisitions and community donations, ensuring that valuable recordings don’t slip through the cracks.

Note:

At any given time, there may be different ways to support this role from using grant funds designated for acquisitions to purchasing music personally and donating it for a tax-deductible contribution. We’ll work with you to find the best path.

Researcher – Music Discovery & Documentation

What you’ll do:

Scan books, zines, and historical publications for references to Minnesota artists, labels, and scenes
Monitor blogs, newsletters, and local media for new releases and emerging artists
Explore platforms like Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and YouTube for self-released or under-the-radar music
Cross-reference findings with the Minnesota Music Archive and Discogs to avoid duplication
Document artist histories, label discographies, and genre movements
Support content creators with fact-checking and background research
Suggest updates or corrections to Discogs entries

Why it matters:

The Researcher helps ensure the Minnesota Music Archive remains current, inclusive, and historically grounded. By digging into both digital and print sources, you help uncover hidden gems, track evolving scenes, and preserve the stories behind the music. Your work strengthens the archive’s role as a living, growing resource for music lovers, historians, and future generations.

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Volunteer with the Minnesota Music Archive

Archive Outreach

What you’ll do:

Why it matters:

Music Cataloging

What you’ll do:

Why it matters:

Digitization

What you’ll do:

Why it matters:

Archive Management

What you’ll do:

Why it matters:

Newsletter / Content Creation

What you’ll do:

Why it matters:

Rights Outreach

What you’ll do:

Why it matters:

Music Buyer

What you’ll do:

Why it matters:

Note:

Researcher – Music Discovery & Documentation

What you’ll do:

Why it matters:

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