So you wanna be a rock ‘n’ roll star — or at least make music for a living? Here’s help

Wichita has, at best, what could be called an imperfect music economy, a couple of local promoters say, and they want to change that.

Jessie and Adam Hartke, who are owners in Wave, the Cotillion, D Tour and Hartke Presents, wanted to create an ecosystem in which musicians can not only thrive but use their art to make a living instead of having to have side jobs.

“We’ve mainly been importing music, right?” Jessie Hartke said.

She said a lot of touring acts come through the area and make money, and then “a lot of it leaves when the artists leave town.”

“So what can we do to create a more export-based music economy within Wichita?” Hartke said.

That’s how Midtopia was born. The new nonprofit is a type of development program for musicians.

Hartke said there is a wealth of local bands, but few have sustainable business models to where they can do it full time for careers.

The program is kicking off with four local artists — Rudy Love & The Encore, Social Cinema, the Cavves and Keo & Them — but the goal is to help elevate musicians around the country and put them on sustainable career paths.

Midtopia, which is working with grants that Hartke said she’ll share more about later, has a studio for artists to record in and will book tours for the artists as well. For the out-of-town artists, eventually there will be temporary housing as well.

“Our drive is to help artists create, in effect, their own businesses,” Hartke said. “We’re trying to get them on a path that once they graduated from the program, they will have the knowledge and resources to really grow their music and . . . the business behind their music.”

Social Cinema bassist Austin Engler, who is is the videographer for Midtopia, said he believes the organization can make a difference in musicians’ lives.

“It’s really a nice support system where we can go for guidance and resources,” he said. “It’s just an expanded network of contacts and people with different pockets of knowledge.”

As Midtopia’s videographer, he’ll make videos to promote bands on social media and make sure their profiles are up to date online.

Engler also will shoot live sessions at Midtopia’s studio, which he said is going to be a great place to lay down ideas and bounce ideas off of other musicians.

Artists can apply for help on Midtopia’s website at midtopia.com/bandsubmission.

“We haven’t found anything like this anywhere,” Hartke said.

She said having a program like Midtopia in Wichita is “pushing back that we’re just a flyover city.”

There’s meaning behind the Midtopia name.

“We don’t live in a utopian society, Hartke said.

Nor is it dystopian, she said.

“We’re a great Midtopian place to be.”

Hartke said that goes for geography as well.

“It’s . . . pretty amazing to be in the middle.”