The Music Impact Coalition, a group of more than 20 music and arts foundations and nonprofits, is deploying over $3 million in grant funding to launch a music and arts education pilot across eight North Carolina school districts. The funding includes a $2 million grant from The Tullman Family Office and $1 million from The Enlight Foundation, according to the announcement, and is intended to reach more than 226,000 students.
Coalition members include the CMA Foundation, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, the GRAMMY Museum, the Recording Academy, NAMM Foundation, Save The Music and D’Addario Foundation, among others. Participating districts include Buncombe County Schools, Newton-Conover City Schools, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, Chatham County Schools, Cumberland County Schools, Pitt County Schools and Wayne County Public Schools, with one additional district yet to be confirmed.
According to the coalition, North Carolina was chosen as the pilot state for its range of community types and music heritage, with the goal of generating data to inform a national model for expanding arts education access. Coalition leadership is set to convene in the state on October 15 and 16 to begin the grantmaking process with school districts and state partners, including the North Carolina Arts Council and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Ed James.