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| Major Grant from New York State Music Fund Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts at Flushing Town Hall announced that it is the recipient of a grant from The New York State Music Fund for its "New Voices/New Dimensions" program. This year-long series of performances and linked educational/community engagement activities at Flushing Town Hall will feature music by emerging and established contemporary composers of jazz, classical music, world music, musical theater, cabaret, and country western music. In announcing the award, Harvey Seifter, Executive and Artistic Director, Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts, said "This grant provides a unique opportunity for Flushing Town Hall, located in one of the most culturally diverse communities in the United States, to expand its contemporary music program and to increase public engagement with and appreciation of contemporary music across an equally diverse range of musical genres and styles. We are profoundly grateful." The New York State Music Fund was created when the New York State Attorney General's Office resolved investigations against major record companies that had violated state and federal laws prohibiting "pay for play" (also called "payola"). The settlement agreement stipulated that funds paid by music businesses would support music education and appreciation for the benefit of New York State residents. The Attorney General's Office enlisted the services of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, one of the nation's largest and most experienced philanthropy services, to develop and manage the grant program. An Advisory Panel comprised of leaders from a cross-section of the music world evaluated the applications the Fund received for its first cycle, resulting in $13 million of awards to 153 grantees representing every region of New York State. Diverse forms of popular or experimental music, including hip-hop, indie rock, fusion and reggae account for about 37 percent of the grants and more than 13 percent celebrate a spectrum of jazz; 30 percent include new classical music. The state's ethnic or racial minority communities are served by 45 percent of the programs, while 47 percent target low-income communities. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |