Georgia Music Foundation awards grants for 2023
Apr. 22—ATHENS — The Georgia Music Foundation announced Friday it has awarded more than $230,000 in Georgia Music Grants for 2023. Fifty-six schools and nonprofits across the state, from Dahlonega to Donalsonville, have received grants to support their music programs.
"We're not music educators ourselves," Foundation Chair Russell Bennett, a Walton County real estate developer and partner in Athens' Classic City Vinyl Works, said. "Our mission is to support the deserving programs that already exist at schools, after-schools, summer camps and nonprofits statewide."
Special consideration is given to grant applications from rural Georgia and underserved communities.
"We were fortunate enough to receive Georgia Music Foundation grants for five of our Brooks County Schools in 2020," Janie Jones, the fine arts coordinator for Brooks County Schools, said in a news release. "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.
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, proceeds from the annual "Georgia On My Mind" benefit concert and individual and corporate donors.
The Georgia Music Foundation also acknowledges the support of the state's homegrown artists.
"Over the past nine years, The Peach Pickers, Amy Ray and Brent Cobb all have hosted multiple fundraising concerts for us, graciously bringing their friends onboard to celebrate Georgia's music influence and promote music education," Foundation Director Lisa Love said.
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 said. "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 more than $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 will be available in August 2023 at georgiamusicfoundation.org.
Area recipients of the 2023 Georgia Music Grant include:
Learning and Loving the Uke! — Boys & Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley, Columbus
After-School Group Music Lessons — Brooks County High School, Quitman
Instruments, Equipment & Software — Brooks County Middle School, Quitman
Music Matters After-School Program — Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Columbus
Making Music Matters After-School Program — Cross Creek Elementary, Thomasville
Orff Instruments & Repair — Delta Innovative School, Quitman
Garrison Tropical Steel Drum Band — Fitzgerald High School College and Career Academy, Fitzgerald
Lesson Scholarships — Pelham High School, Pelham
Ukulele for You-4th and 5th Grade — Quitman Elementary School, Quitman
SMF Musical Explorers Program — Seminole County Elementary School, Donalsonville
Worth County Primary School — World Music Drumming Program, Sylvester
For more information, contact Lisa Love at lisa@georgiamusicfoundation.org.
