Gene Townsel Launches Fund-Raising Dinner Concert to Build Deerfield Beach Performing Arts Center

Gene Townsel, a veteran of more than four decades in the music industry, is turning his experience into a community resource in Deerfield Beach. The Los Angeles‑based singer‑songwriter, who has backed artists such as Copeland Davis and coached performers including Margaret Avery, will host a dinner concert on September 26 at the Johnny Tigner Community Center to raise money for a new performing‑arts facility.

The event, organized by Townsel’s nonprofit, The Artists Dream Performing Arts Center, will feature dinner and a showcase of his career. Tickets start at $50 and are tax‑deductible because the organization is registered as a 501(c)(3). The concert is intended to secure a permanent space for a music school that already operates out of Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church.

Townsel has been teaching music in Deerfield Beach for two decades. He offers free lessons in piano, voice and percussion to children aged six to seventeen on Saturday mornings. The school, which began in the church’s basement, has grown to include workshops and showcases at the Oveta McKiethan Recreational Complex. "Not everyone will become a star," Townsel said from his studio at the church. "But the music business has many job opportunities both on stage and behind the scenes, such as support personnel, audio engineering and videographing." He also sees music as a way for kids to channel energy.

The nonprofit’s brochure states that the center’s goal is "to provide talented but under‑privileged youth with the necessary tools to become skilled artists." Townsel’s vision for the facility is a 1,000‑square‑foot space that could be expanded to include a stage, mirrors for dance, a sound system and floor space for instruction.

A key obstacle is the lack of a dedicated performance venue in Deerfield Beach. "There is no performance center, private or public, in this city," Townsel said. He notes that neighboring municipalities such as Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Pompano Beach have established performance spaces, while the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center opened in 2016 for a city of about 75,000 people.

Townsel also referenced a 2023 effort by the Deerfield Beach Historical Society and alumni of Deerfield Beach Elementary School to restore the school’s original auditorium. The Broward County School Board had considered renovating the building, but the plans were abandoned and the auditorium remains closed.

To support the project, Townsel is seeking a donated or low‑cost location, instruments, and volunteer teachers. He encourages residents to attend the September 26 concert, make a donation, or offer their time and expertise. Contact numbers are 561‑436‑0868 and 772‑201‑6903.

The dinner concert will also highlight Townsel’s background. He earned a degree in choral music from Florida A&M University and has performed worldwide. His discography includes releases on Spotify and Amazon Music, and he has worked with artists across genres.

The Artists Dream Performing Arts Center is a registered nonprofit, but it has not yet filed a Form 990. The organization’s mission is to provide a space for music education and performance for under‑served youth in Deerfield Beach.

The concert is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on September 26 at the Johnny Tigner Community Center. Ticket sales will begin on September 1. The event is open to the public, and proceeds will go directly to the nonprofit’s capital‑raising efforts.

Townsel’s initiative reflects a broader trend of community‑based arts programming in South Florida, where local musicians and educators are creating spaces for creative development in the absence of municipal facilities.

The outcome of the fundraising event will determine whether the nonprofit can secure a permanent location for its music school and expand its programming to serve more children and families in the Deerfield Beach area.