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 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 Fall 2023 at georgiamusicfoundation.org.

The 2023 Georgia Music Grant recipients include:

Amped Kids Foundation Inc Gainesville Musical Instruments Acquisition
Artz for the Harp Corporation Powder Springs AFTH Group Harp Youth  Programs
Atlanta Music Project Atlanta AMP After-School Band & Orchestra
Augusta Mini Theatre Inc. Augusta After-School Piano Program
Banks County Middle School Homer Performing Arts Program/Instruments 
Battlefield Elementary Fort Oglethorpe Purchase of Ukuleles
Bethesda Academy Savannah 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 Band and Chorus Instruments & Repair 
Club Xhell Incorporated Riverdale Music Matters After-School Program
Columbus Symphony Orchestra Columbus Making Music Matters After-School Program
Cross Creek Elementary Thomasville Cross Creek Strings Program
Cumming Elementary School Cumming Orff Instruments & Repair
Delta Innovative School Quitman Music Production Equipment 
Eddie White Middle Academy Hampton Purchase of Orchetra Instruments
ESP - Extra Special People, Inc.  Watkinsville Afternoon Music Therapy Program
Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts Savannah Garrison Tropical Steel Drum Band
Fitzgerald High School College and Career Academy Fitzgerald Encore Unlimited Show Choir
GA Pick & Bow Traditional Music School Dahlonega After-School & Summer Camp Instruction
Georgia Humanities Decatur Blues Documentary Project
Gladden Middle School Band Chatsworth Gladden Middle School Warrior Band
Glynn Middle School Brunswick Instrument Cases & Supplies
Greater Augusta Area  Orff Chapter  Grovetown Greater Augusta Area Orff Workshop Series 
Hamilton Holmes Elementary East Point Beatin' Path School Assembly Program
Haven Elementary  Savannah Hornet Band Program
Heard Elementary School Savannah Modern Band Program
Heart Music Athens Hilsman Middle School Outreach
Hertitage Academy Elementary School Atlanta Instrument Purchase
I Am Arts Foundation East Point After-School Drums at Stonewall Tell
Jacob G. Smith Elementary School Savannah Modern Band Program
Jarrard Burch Foundation Gainesville Jarrard Burch Songwriting Outreach
Largo-Tibet Elementary School Savannah  Orff Program and 5th Grade Band 
Lovin Elementary School Lawrenceville Outdoor Musical STEAM Garden
May Howard Elementary Savannah Modern Band Program for 5th Grade 
McDonough High School McDonough Mighty Marching Warhawk Band 
New Horizons New Directions Preparatory Academy Griffin Musical Instruments for Orchestra
New Manchester High School Douglasville NMHS Mighty Marching Jaguars
North Brooks Elementary School Morven Music Program/Drum Clinic
North Metro Academy of Performing Arts Peachtree Corners Songwriting and Performance Program
North Tattnall Middle School Reidsville North Tattnall Middle School Band
Nuçi's Space Athens Camp Amped & Pre-Amped Sessions
Otis Redding Foundation Macon Lesson Scholarships 
Pelham High School Pelham Pelham High School Band
Perry Middle School  Perry Perry Panthers Percussive Arts Program
Powers Ferry Elementary School Marietta Ukulele for You - 4th and 5th Grade
Quitman Elementary School Quitman Ukuleles & Instructional Resources
Sarah Mills Hodge Elementary School Savannah Hands on with Orff
Savannah Music Festival, Inc. Savannah SMF Musical Explorers Pogram
Seminole County Elementary School Donalsonville Broadway Jr. Beauty and the Beast
Shiloh Elementary School Snellville Spring Musical Program
South Tattnall Elementary School Glennville Instrument Purchases
Washington Street Community Center Covington WSCC Children Choir
Windsor Forest High School Savannah Windsor Forest High School Band 
Worth County Primary School Sylvester World Music Drumming Program
Youth Villages Inner Harbour Douglasville West African Therapeutic Drumming Program
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“Walkin’ Back to Georgia” Release to benefit GA Music