It may take persistence to find the grant to fund your music program or group.
Private institutions and foundations as well as the federal government have funds available for music groups. Whether your organization focuses on performances or music education, there are different opportunities available to get needed aid. Some digging may be needed in order to find the grants that you need.
Chamber Music America
Chamber Music America (CMA) has several grants for ensembles who play contemporary/classical music or jazz music.
Some of the basic requirements for all the jazz grants are that the groups must be lead by or include a composer/performer, who has a history of performing their own work and be an organizational member of the CMA.
The grants given by the CMA include the New Jazz Works: Commissioning and Ensemble Development grant which gives 3 years of support to jazz groups creating, performing and refining original work.
The Presenting Jazz grant is given to festivals and presenters by showcasing live jazz ensembles. Those groups in early or mid-career status are given priority.
The Residency Partnership grant supports non-traditional residency endeavors between jazz and non-jazz ensembles or presenters and community entities in suburban, urban and rural settings.
CMA/FACE French American Jazz Exchange is a program which supports collaborations between American and French jazz musicians in either the U.S., France or both.
There is also the Classical Commissioning program for non-jazz ensembles. This program supports ensembles by providing money for rehearsals, copying costs and commissioning fees. The musical work must be performed at least 3 times in the United States, must involve 2 to 10 musicians performing the work without a conductor usually, and may be in a variety of genres including world music, contemporary art music and works with electronic components.
The amount for each grant differs according to the circumstances. For instance, the Residency Partnership grant varies depending on, among other things, the size of the ensemble and the duration of the project. From $2,500 to $6,000 may be given to short-term duration projects. From $5,000 to $12,000 are given for extended duration projects.
Chamber Music America
305 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10001
212-242-2022
chamber-music.org (see ref 1)
The National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent federal agency which supports various artistic programs and groups throughout the U.S. Funding amounts may vary from about $7,500 to $30,000. Groups which have received funding run the range of jazz, to classical to contemporary music ensembles. Some groups' artistic offerings are a combination of music genres. For instance, the NEA supports the Berkeley Society for the Preservation of Traditional Music, Inc. which aims to perform folk and traditional music with a classical touch.
National Endowment for the Arts
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington D.C. 20506
202-682-5400
www.nea.gov (see ref. 2)
The American Composers Forum
The American Composers Forum offers the McKnight Composers Fellowship for Minnesota composers to write music. The award is for $25,000 and is given annually to 4 individuals. The funds are not restricted and are meant to allow the composer to have time to create. Recipients may also get additional money to work in a community-based residency project, such as teaching at a local school.
The American Composers Forum
332 Minnesota Street, E-145
Saint Paul, Minnesota
55101-1300
651-251-2833
composersforum.org (see ref. 3)
Tags: American Composers, American Composers Forum, Chamber Music, Chamber Music America, Composers Forum, Endowment Arts, Music America