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IAC Announces Community Music Grant Recipients
A new Iowa Arts Council program will help two Iowa communities develop
their local music scene. IAC in August awarded two one-time Community
Music Development Grants of $12,500 each to the Greater Des Moines
Music Coalition and the River Music Experience of Davenport.
The 2005 Iowa Legislature provided funding for the grants, targeting nonprofit
music groups to build and sustain unique, authentic qualities
of local music scenes and to boost the local independent
music industry.
“We
are excited to see the results these grant funds will make possible,” IAC
Executive Director Anita Walker said. “From Austin, Texas, to Minneapolis
and Seattle to New York City, we’ve seen the importance the music industry
can have on quality of life and economic issues. We have a strong responsibility
to create, maintain and support an environment that nurtures
the growth of live music venues and the artists
that perform in them because it’s vital to growing our economy and making
our communities places where people want to live, work and play.”
In Austin, Texas, the Austin Music Commission says its local music industry is
viewed not only as a quality of life issue, but also as a significant
source of local tourism revenue. The Austin music industry generates
more than $600 million in annual revenues for the local economy and attracts new
businesses, visitors and employees to the city.
The
Des Moines Music Coalition, a nonprofit group involving musicians,
promoters, venues, businesses, community leaders and live music fans, has worked
closely with the Austin Music Commission and will use the IAC grant to hire a
full-time staff person committed to building a stronger and more diverse live
music economy in Greater Des Moines.
In Davenport, the River
Music Experience is supported by a cross-section of the music community,
serving an eclectic and diverse mix of local and regional musicians. The RME will
use the IAC Community Music Development Grant to create a recording studio to
serve musicians and provide a variety of educational programming for children
ages 4-12.
