THE GIFT OF GRAMMY
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger Photographer: George Whylie Videographer: Maxine NolanThe GRAMMY is not just about recognizing outstanding performance in the music industry. Throughout the year, they generously give back through the GRAMMY Foundation Grant Program.
Recently it was announced that $250,000 in grants were awarded to 18 recipients to help facilitate a range of research, archiving and presentation projects on a variety of subjects. The recipients hail from the United States, Canada and the Dominican Republic.
The research piece includes using technology to enable parents of premature babies to have a presence at their child’s bedside even when they are away from the hospital.
Preservation and archiving includes a project that will protect live recordings of monumental performers such as Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald just to name a few. Efforts will be undertaken to digitally transfer and provide access to an archive of fragile reel-to-reel recordings of live performances and related oral histories in the collection of the oldest continuously running folk music coffeehouse.
For over 25 years, the GRAMMY Foundation Grant Program has played a pivotal role in making scientific advancement and taking the music industry into the future. Through the grants, the accomplishments include research to help individuals with speech and movement difficulties, a project that will prepare a significant collection of African-American gospel and blues from Memphis and the Mississippi Delta for digitizing and preservation. It only gets better year after year. Making a difference is what it is all about.
Funding the grant program comes from The Recording Academy. To date, the program has awarded close to $5.8 million for more than 300 noteworthy projects. Funding is provided annually. In 2008, the categories were expanded to include planning grants for individuals and small to mid-sized organizations to assist collections held by individuals and organizations that may not have access to the expertise needed to create a preservation plan.
Through these wonderful programs, the public, the music industry and the cultural community gain a better understanding and appreciation of music and how it relates to American culture.
To learn more, go to www.grammyfoundation.org/grants
Logo Credit – GRAMMY FOUNDATION
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