Music Philanthropy News
Most Recent
7 Questions for Josh Groban on Music, Philanthropy and Impact
Through his Find Your Light Foundation, the singer has been keeping arts education alive for young people for two decades. We connected with him to learn more.
Sphinx Works to Diversify the World of Classical Music as Funding Contracts
Thanks to cutbacks in funding for arts and minority organizations, the Detroit-based group has lost $5 million in funding since 2023.
If You Have to Ask… Five Funders Supporting Jazz
Wondering who backs jazz these days? These five grantmakers seek to educate aspiring musicians, provide financial support for touring artists and engage audiences.
Inside the Giving of Carol Colburn Grigor and Her Music-Loving Family
The Colburn Foundation chair and daughter of the late businessman Richard D. Colburn shares more about her billionaire family’s giving journey as she is set to receive a Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
A Look Back at How the Lewis Prize for Music Empowered Young People
With the five-year initiative concluded, here’s how it leveraged creative youth development and a participatory process, and what other funders can learn.
Philip Glass for Christmas: Getting Creative Around Holiday Fundraising
In her annual holiday piece, Karen Brooks Hopkins, president emerita of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, recalls memorable fundraising stories. This year, a special gift for donors sets off alarms.
Mike Curb’s Long Commitment to Music Education
A major player in the record industry (and former lieutenant governor), Curb emphasizes a perennially underfunded cause in his higher ed giving.
What We Know About Taylor Swift’s Philanthropy
The pop megastar doesn’t give in an institutionalized way – yet – but she does donate to a wide variety of causes on a case-by-case basis. Here’s what she’s been supporting so far.
“Outsized Philanthropy.” Meet the Family Foundation Giving Chicago Performing Artists Six-Figure Awards
The Walder Foundation’s Platform Awards directly support local artists with $200,000 over three years. Here’s how the program came together, and how it reflects this funder’s goal to punch above its weight.
Get Down On It: The Family Behind This Legendary Funk Band Focuses on Music Education
This father-and-sons team is channeling the funk legacy of Kool & The Gang into a mission to keep music alive in schools through their Kool Kids Foundation.
“That’s Where We Come In.” How Chamber Music America Supports the Field’s Artists and Ensembles
This NYC-based regrantor backs composers and small ensembles across a wide range of genres. CEO Kevin Kwan Loucks walks us through its grant programs, new plans to grow audience engagement, and more.
The Wallace Foundation Invested $52 Million in Audience Engagement. What Did It Learn?
Through its five-year Building Audiences for Sustainability initiative, Wallace dug deep into the question of how arts organizations can grow their reach and revenue. A new report offers some key findings.
“More Than Just a Check.” This Funder Couples Cash and Professional Support to Help Artists Thrive
Creative Capital recently announced the winners of its latest round of awards, totaling $2.5 million. With a heightened focus on equity and accessibility, the funder is helping dozens of artists advance their careers.
Grand Finale: A Family Foundation Focused on Free Concerts Announces its Spend Down
The Levitt Foundation has a unique focus on creating music performance spaces as a way to support communities nationwide. The family recently announced it would spend down to boost its impact.
Funder Spotlight: How the Samuels Foundation Supports the Performing Arts and Healthy Aging
The New York City-based Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation supports performing arts organizations and seeks to improve quality of life for older adults. We take a closer look at its history, grantmaking and more.
Arts, Education, Conservative Policy and More. How the Kovners Are Tapping a Hedge Fund Fortune
Bruce and Suzie Kovner are major backers of arts institutions like the Juilliard School, along with several right-leaning think tanks. The New York couple’s giving holds some interesting twists too.
Intergenerational Music-Making: How One Funder’s Tackling Loneliness and Division
For the Eisner Foundation, funding a community-based orchestra, open to all ages, has helped build ties between the generations, enriching an L.A. neighborhood. It’s a testament to the power of intergenerational programming.
“Look to the Artists.” Checking In with Music Legend and Longtime Arts Philanthropist Herb Alpert
For over three decades, Herb Alpert has been one of arts philanthropy’s most impactful and articulate patrons. We check in with the music legend about how he goes about his giving, recent gifts and news, and more.
Eleven Ways Funders Are Supporting Social Justice Within and Through the Arts
An increasing number of funders have been looking to spur social change through their arts funding, especially during the pandemic. Here are 11 examples we’ve been following.
The Donor Deplorables: a Fundraiser’s Tales of “Bad Apple” Donors
Karen Brooks Hopkins regales us with tales of a “small but truly miserable group” of hard-to-deal-with donors she encountered during her time leading the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
IP Briefing: What’s Going on with Philanthropy for Music?
This week’s IP Briefing—music philanthropy. Music gets more support from philanthropy than other performing arts, but funding amounts vary greatly, with opera companies and orchestras receiving the lion’s share.
COVID-19 Nearly Killed the Performing Arts. Innovations in Funding Can Revive Them
The pandemic was devastating for working artists, many of whom lost their livelihoods. In this guest post, Maurine Knighton of Doris Duke Charitable Foundation shares how powerful unrestricted funding provides a lifeline.
How Charities Focused on Music Are Beginning to Climb Out of the Pandemic
Music nonprofits faced difficult challenges during the pandemic, with crucial revenue streams shut down for months. We spoke with fundraisers to find out how they got by—and how they are moving forward.
After a Year of Crisis, What Does Resilience Mean for the Philanthropic Leader Who Wrote the Book on It?
Judith Rodin made resilience a key component of the Rockefeller Foundation’s grantmaking during her time as president. Here’s how she’s applying resilience strategies to help the New World Symphony evolve at a critical juncture.
“An Instrument for Healing.” Two Funding Leaders Discuss the State of the Opera Field
For years, arts funders have sought to make opera more relevant, engaging and responsive to local communities. We check in with OPERA America about how philanthropy can move the field forward.
Toward a “New Normal.” An Arts Leader on Boosting Representation in Classical Music
Despite incremental progress over the past decade, classical music remains predominantly white. We check in with Afa Dworkin, head of the Detroit-based Sphinx Organization, about how funders can boost representation.
An Inside Look Into a Music Funder’s Democratized Grantmaking Process
IP’s Mike Scutari recently observed the Lewis Prize for Music’s participatory grantmaking process. He reports on the experience and checks in with panelists and leadership on how arts funders can best democratize their grantmaking.
The Great Latke Competition—a Fundraiser Reflects on the Holiday Event That Kept Giving
In her annual year-end post, Karen Brooks Hopkins, president emerita of Brooklyn Academy of Music, fondly recalls a very different holiday season than this one, and a fundraising event that turned out to be more than she bargained for.
In “Unconventional Times,” an Orchestra Aims to Get its Fundraising Back on Track
A big question in the early days of the pandemic was whether nonprofits should keep the fundraising machinery humming or take a breather. The Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra put things on hold for months. But raising money can’t wait forever.
“This is a Big Leap.” How Are Performing Arts Funders Democratizing Grantmaking?
An IP survey found that performing arts professionals were skeptical about grantmakers’ efforts at reform. But all hope is not lost. Foundations and regranting organizations share how they are fast-tracking democratization efforts.
