Community Chronicles from the MusiCounts Community Music Program

June 5, 2023
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Applications are now closed for the MusiCounts Community Music Program.

This granting stream is a unique opportunity for community groups and non-profit organizations to invest in instruments, equipment, and resources for youth music programming. Whether you’re building new programs or expanding existing offerings, there’s no limit to the creative and dynamic ways communities can support youth through music making.

Get to know a few of the recent recipients from this program 一 their stories may inspire you to get an application started today!

NECASE

The Nepalese Canadian Society of Edmonton (NECASE) is a non-profit organization for Nepali communities living in and around the city of Edmonton. NECASE will be using their MusiCounts Community Music Program funds to increase capacity of their existing music programming, from their Juneli School language and culture program. Additionally, traditional folk instruments (bamboo flutes, maadals, sarangis, and dholaks) will be purchased to produce traditional Nepalese music, as well as western instruments (ukuleles, guitars, and keyboards) for other programming.

NORTH YORK INTER-COMMUNITY YOUTH

North York Inter-Community Youth is a non-profit volunteer organization of steelpan musicians, who saw an urgent need to foster youth leadership skills through the performing arts and to further develop cultural awareness among different communities. Through their programs, they’ve been able to guide the youth away from illegal drug activities and gun violence, and spend time learning and teaching the skills of the instrument to others. North York Inter-Community Youth is using the MusiCounts Community Music Program funding to increase access to their programming to meet the overwhelming community demand.

LISTEN TO DIS’

Listen to Dis’ Community Arts (LTD') is Saskatchewan’s first and only disability-led arts organization. They equip and empower people with and without disabilities to create and participate in art for their health, recreation, and the development of themselves as emerging and professional artists. Through intimately accessible art practices, they encourage each other to nurture a healthier relationship to body, mind, and creative spirit, while holding safe space for the disabled and non-disabled, to come together. The MusiCounts Community Music Program funding will help develop musical ensembles and build opportunities to educate more youth that have lived with barriers to participating in music development and performance because of disability.

The MusiCounts Community Music Program provides non-profit organizations with grants of up to $15,000 in instruments, equipment, and resources to support music education programs at the community level.

Application deadline is Thursday, June 8 2023.