Music in the Mountains, one of Nevada County’s Classical Music Performance and Education Non-profits, received three arts education grants from the California Arts Council, according to a press release.
The council officially announced its second round of grant awards for 2022, with funds for Cycle B totaling more than $41 million for more than 900 grants supporting artists, culture bearers, and cultural workers throughout the state of California, according to the release. MIM was granted $146,000 over two years to support youth music education programs in Western Nevada County, the release stated.
Since the 1980s, MIM has been offering fun and challenging music programs for area youth. But as local schools have been forced to cut music and art programs, many students can no longer participate in vital educational activities, like learning to play a musical instrument, the release stated. These grants will help MIM keep both in-school and afterschool music programs available to children in grades K-12 for two more years, according to the release.
“Studies have shown that learning to play a musical instrument not only improves social emotional learning, but also improves test scores in reading, writing, and math,” MIM executive director, Jenny Darlington-Person, said in the release. “As schools face budget challenges and are unable to offer music classes, MIM has partnered with them to fill the gaps left by these cuts. These grants will help provide: professional music teachers for both in-school and afterschool classes; a youth orchestra program; and professional music concerts for school-age children and our community.”
Music in the Mountains is wrapping up 2022 Giving with a matching challenge grant that doubles all donations up to $25,000, the release stated. This includes donations by check, credit card, and also cryptocurrency, according to the release.
The California Arts Council’s grant programs are administered through a multistep, public process. Following an open call for applications, submissions are adjudicated by peer review panels from the arts and cultural fields and representative of California’s diversity. Based on panel recommendations and availability of funds, the Council voted on grant awards at their public meetings in August, September, and October of 2022.
Music in the Mountains was founded in 1982 in Nevada County and the organization has been producing concerts and education programs for more than 40 years.
