GA Music Foundation Awards Grants for 2023
The Georgia Music Foundation announces it has awarded more than $230,000 in Georgia Music Grants for 2023. Fifty-six schools and non-profits across the state, from Dahlonega to Donalsonville, have received grants to support their music programs.
"We're not music educators ourselves," explains Foundation Chair Russell Bennett, a Walton County real estate developer and partner in Athens' Classic City Vinyl Works. "Our mission is to support the deserving programs that already exist at schools, after-schools, summer camps and non-profits statewide."
It’s all about the basses! A 2023 Georgia Music Grant supports after-school & summer camp instruction at Georgia Pick & Bow Traditional Music School in Dahlonega.
Special consideration is given to grant applications from rural Georgia and underserved communities. Janie Jones, Fine Arts Coordinator for Brooks County Schools, says, "We were fortunate enough to receive Georgia Music Foundation grants for five of our Brooks County Schools in 2020. These funds allowed us to purchase world percussion instruments and instruction, a set of ukuleles and tuners, technology, sound systems, sheet music and music downloads for our bands and chorus. The GMF grants definitely increased the accessibility of music resources at our schools." Delta Innovative School, Brooks County Middle and High Schools, Quitman Elementary School and North Brooks Elementary all received grants in 2023, as well.
At Delta Innovative School in Quitman, teachers Martrez Reynolds (far left) and Tim Wilson work with 8th grade students DeWayne and Ty to make their own music with the MasterMix Academy software and equipment, purchased with a 2023 Georgia Music Grant from the Georgia Music Foundation.
Funding for this round of Georgia Music Grants, which were $5,000 or less, was provided by the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund II, Mrs. G's Foundation of Pooler, GA, proceeds from the annual "Georgia On My Mind" benefit concert and individual and corporate donors.
A new set of percussion instruments for their classroom has Ms. Tison’s students at Worth County Primary School in Sylvester smiling!
The Georgia Music Foundation also acknowledges the generous support of the state's homegrown artists. "Over the past nine years, The Peach Pickers, Amy Ray and Brent Cobb have all hosted multiple fundraising concerts for us, graciously bringing their friends onboard to celebrate Georgia's music influence and promote music education" says Foundation Director Lisa Love.
In another show of artist support, acclaimed producer Butch Walker, a native of Cartersville, joined fellow singer/songwriters Elizabeth Cook and Katie Pruitt—all of whom participated in music while attending high school in Georgia—to record and release the Jim Croce song, "Walkin' Back to Georgia," to benefit the Georgia Music Foundation. "Music education in school shaped my future,” Walker says. “Music was my therapy and my saving grace.” The single, released on New West Records, is available to stream on most music platforms.
The Georgia Music Foundation's mission is to support programs of music education, preservation and outreach. It has awarded nearly $800,000 in Georgia Music Grants since 2015 as well as provided Georgia Music Relief Fund grants to more than 150 Georgia musicians and crew members during Covid. Information on the next round of Georgia Music Grants to support programs taking place in 2024 will be available in Fall 2023 at georgiamusicfoundation.org.
The 2023 Georgia Music Grant recipients include:
Amped Kids Foundation, Gainesville
Artz for the Harp Corporation, Powder Springs
Atlanta Music Project, Atlanta
Augusta Mini Theatre Inc., Augusta
Banks County Middle School, Homer
Battlefield Elementary, Fort Oglethorpe
Bethesda Academy, Savannah
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley, Columbus
Brooks County High School, Quitman
Brooks County Middle School, Quitman
Club Xhell Incorporated, Riverdale
Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Columbus
Cross Creek Elementary, Thomasville
Cumming Elementary School, Cumming
Delta Innovative School, Quitman
Eddie White Middle Academy, Hampton
ESP - Extra Special People, Inc., Watkinsville
Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts, Savannah
Fitzgerald High School College and Career Academy, Fitzgerald
GA Pick & Bow Traditional Music School, Dahlonega
Georgia Humanities, Decatur
Gladden Middle School Band, Chatsworth
Glynn Middle School, Brunswick
Greater Augusta Area Orff Chapter, Grovetown
Hamilton Holmes Elementary, East Point
Haven Elementary, Savannah
Heard Elementary School, Savannah
Heart Music, Athens
Heritage Academy Elementary School, Atlanta
I Am Arts Foundation, East Point
Jacob G. Smith Elementary School, Savannah
Jarrard Burch Foundation, Gainesville
Largo-Tibet Elementary School, Savannah
Lovin Elementary School, Lawrenceville
May Howard Elementary, Savannah
McDonough High School, McDonough
New Horizons New Directions Preparatory Academy, Griffin
New Manchester High School, Douglasville
North Brooks Elementary School, Morven
North Metro Academy of Performing Arts, Peachtree Corners
North Tattnall Middle School, Reidsville
Nuçi's Space, Athens
Otis Redding Foundation, Macon
Pelham High School, Pelham
Perry Middle School, Perry
Powers Ferry Elementary School, Marietta
Quitman Elementary School, Quitman
Sarah Mills Hodge Elementary School, Savannah
Savannah Music Festival, Savannah
Seminole County Elementary School, Donalsonville
Shiloh Elementary School, Snellville
South Tattnall Elementary School, Glennville
Washington Street Community Center, Covington
Windsor Forest High School, Savannah
Worth County Primary School, Sylvester
Youth Villages Inner Harbour, Douglasville