Macon – Dec. 20, 2016 – Thirteen projects that help Macon tell its stories through art have received funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
The recipients are organizations big and small. They range from the Field Note Stenographers, which chronicles the local music scene and the people behind it in a podcast and blog, to the Big House Foundation, which uses its legacy in the music industry to host concerts and conversations on careers in the field.
“Artists tell our stories, help define who we are, and where we are going as a community,” said Amanda Thompson, arts program officer for Knight Foundation. “We’re delighted about what these projects add to the conversation, and how they help continue to build community in Macon.”
The projects, which received a combined $200,000 for 2016-17 are listed below.
2017 and ongoing projects:
The Big House Foundation ($10,000) To spark conversations about music through the “Rock ’N’ Roll Music Story” series, which brings renowned musicians, managers and crew members to The Allman Brothers Band Museum to talk about careers in the music business
Field Note Stenographers ($10,000) To encourage a deeper appreciation of the local music scene by supporting the “Diggin’ the Field” podcast, which complements the group’s popular blog and is co-hosted online by Georgia Public Broadcasting
Macon Arts Alliance ($25,000) To share the stories of artists and residents and their role in the rebirth of East Macon’s Mill Hill arts village and the Fort Hawkins neighborhood through a serial video and podcast series to be shared through Georgia Public Broadcasting
Museum of Arts and Sciences ($25,000) To expand the museum’s impact by adding a climbing structure created by regional artists, sculptural seating and site-specific art installations along a popular walking trail
Macon Productions ($5,000) To bring the arts into people’s everyday lives for the second year with “Corner Concerts,” a series of pop-up live music events in vacant and underused spaces across downtown Macon
Tubman Museum ($10,000) To expand the impact of the 2017 Pan African Festival of Georgia, which focuses on the arts of the African diaspora, by bringing in an international dance company that will perform and provide dance classes
2016:
Bragg Jam ($10,000) To bring Macon together through music by extending the 2016 Second Sundays series, a free monthly outdoor concert series in College Hill featuring a broad range of music genres
Lost Keys Literary Festival ($10,000) To celebrate Macon writers and the literary arts in the city with a new festival in the fall of 2016 where local and national authors can showcase their talents
Macon Symphony Orchestra ($15,000) To attract new audiences to the symphony by bringing acclaimed pianist Spencer Myer to perform at the symphony’s 40th anniversary season opening concert in the fall of 2016
Otis Redding Foundation ($30,000) To support access to high-quality music education for Macon youth with 30 scholarships to the Otis Music Camp at Mercer University
Phillips Performing Arts Foundation ($5,000) To foster the next generation of artists with a three-week summer camp focused on dance and music
Praisefest ($20,000) To celebrate gospel music with a free inspirational concert series that pairs local artists with national talent
Streetline Percussion ($25,000) To foster artistic development in Macon through Camp Drums & Dreams – a free, six-week comprehensive music education summer camp that serves Macon area youth ages 8 to 18
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy. For more, visit knightfoundation.org.
Contact:
Anusha Alikhan, communications director, [email protected]