If you’re new to this page and are looking for information about grants for musicians, we can probably help.  But we’re fairly new at this, so please understand that you are dealing with an all-volunteer, non-professional, untested group of do-gooders who love live music and have managed to raise some money which they would like to see go to deserving individuals.  Still reading? (after that long and potentially off-putting sentence?)  Allow me to elaborate:

“Deserving individuals”, as referenced above, Includes those professional musicians who either reside in the Atlanta area or those who have a close and long-term connection to the Atlanta musical community.   Yes, there is a whole lot of latitude inherent in that definition; we reserve the right to make ad hoc refinements thereof.   Meaning that for now, it’s our money.  We think that gives us the right to be selective, while trying our best to not leave anybody out.  The other part of that qualifier is that  there must have been a “legitimate cause”, not of the individuals’ own intentional doing, resulting in financial hardship for our client/candidate.

So far, medical issues have come to the forefront as “legitimate causes” go.  Such emergencies can’t be anticipated, and a player who depends on income from live gigs, teaching and/or studio work may suddenly lose the means to pay for life’s necessaries, like paying for rent, utilities, car or house payments, insurance…. you get the picture; we don’t  (and can’t) cover medical bills- our pockets aren’t that deep.  In addition to the medical variety of misfortune, we can also assist whenever an artist has been a victim of criminal activity or misfortune while on the road.  We have also paid for instrument repairs in order to help a client get back to work.  The grants to musicians that we can make are intended to help them get through a tough time and get back to being productive and supporting themselves.  That kind of support is inherent in a true “community” of any kind, and I have found Atlanta’s musical community to be an incredibly diverse fount of such talented people.

Your help and contribution are welcome.  All are welcome to share; this venue is intended to facilitate that.

Steve Ellison- executive director