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Denver Arts & Venues is pleased to announce the continuation of the Denver Music Advancement Fund, launched in 2018. A total of $475,000 will be made available for 2022-2023 programs and initiatives through grants up to $20,000 to fund Denver-based, innovative, music-centered programs that are rooted in cross-sector collaborations.

“Through these grants and partnerships, we are excited to continue funding community-led, inspired programming that utilizes music as a tool to support mental health and wellness, education, youth engagement, social justice, climate action, global connectivity, and a broad diversity of artistic disciplines including literature, film, dance, theater, visual arts,” explained Lisa Gedgaudas, cultural affairs program manager for Denver Arts & Venues.

Take Note Colorado continues to support the Denver Music Advancement Fund, contributing $25,000 to the fund this year, matching their 2020 and 2021 contributions.

“Take Note Colorado is committed to its partnership with Arts & Venues and our annual investment in the Denver Music Advancement Fund,” said Walt DeHaven, president and board chair of Take Note Colorado. “The Denver Music Advancement Fund aligns with Take Note Colorado’s mission of providing youth throughout Colorado access to music education, by supporting music education initiatives within the City and County of Denver.”

Denver Arts & Venues has allocated $450,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to restore arts and cultural programs which were disproportionately impacted during the pandemic through programs such as the Denver Music Advancement Fund.

Denver Arts & Venues is accepting grant proposals from July 8 to Aug. 5. 

Denver Music Advancement Fund applicants can be individuals, businesses, educational institutions, nonprofit or community organizations located in the City and County of Denver, or entities outside of the City and County of Denver collaborating with Denver-based applicants and supporting City and County of Denver residents through their programming. Denver Arts & Venues encourages proposals that do one or more of the following:
•    Advance positive change and addressing historic societal inequities impacting our communities including Black, Indigenous, Latino(x), people of color (BILPOC) communities, our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersexual, asexual, + (LGBTQIA+) communities, people with disabilities, and additional historically marginalized communities. 
•    Use music to create a more empathetic and equitable society 
•    Demonstrate a clear understanding of a population that lacks access to music, and the economic, social, racial, geographic, or other reasons for this lack of access
•    Identify an opportunity or addressing a specific need with inclusive and culturally relevant programming 
•    Demonstrate a strong knowledge of the perspectives of the audiences engaged
•    Develop creative cross-discipline collaborations 
•    Explore a broad range of musical genres
•    Provide student-centered and culturally relevant instruments and instruction to Denver schools that offer limited or no music education
•    Show potential for significant artistic and cultural impact on a community
•    Support career growth and capacity-building to help build workforce in difficult times
•    Show strong artistic vision, risk taking and originality
•    Explore global and culturally diverse connections
•    Understand the professional and creative landscape of the music ecosystem
•    Emphasize sustained music-making and other experiential approaches to music instruction 

Interested applicants are invited to attend a virtual information session on Thursday, July 21, noon-1 p.m. Please register for the information session at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/denver-music-advancement-fund-info-session-tickets-372348613727.

Funded projects must take place in 2022-2023 calendar years. For full guidelines, criteria and application instructions, please visit www.ArtsandVenues.com/DMAF.