The Presser Foundation

What's happening at The Presser Foundation this summer? Find out in the July newsletter! We share total grantmaking for FY 2023-24, info on past and upcoming Next Movements, several grantee spotlights, updates on Trustees and Committee Members, and much more. Check it out, and reach to us with any questions. #music #foundation #philanthropy #greaterphiladelphia #pressergrants #convenings #grantmaking

Happy World Opera Day! Opera is a wonderful way to share stories, create powerful emotional experiences, present important cultural works, demonstrate the depth of the human voice, and enhance cognitive function and emotional intelligence. Today, we celebrate the work of grantees such as OperaDelaware, WILMINGTON CONCERT OPERA INC, East Passyunk Opera Project (ePOP), Opera Philadelphia, and DELAWARE VALLEY LYRIC OPERA GUILD. Thank you for the work that you do to make opera accessible for more people to enjoy and appreciate. 👏 #opera #grantees #thepresserfoundation #worldoperaday #greaterphiladelphia

NEW GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT We are pleased to announce a new round of Special Project grants totaling $332,750 in single year and multi-year grants to 22 music organizations and collaborations in the Greater Philadelphia Area! Previous commitments of $43,000 will also be paid this year. This significant investment underscores the Foundation’s commitment to fostering creativity, collaboration, and inclusivity in the Greater Philadelphia music scene. This year’s grants, spanning three strategic categories of pilot programs, first-time collaborations, and general operating support for newer music organizations, aims to catalyze transformative musical initiatives. Check out the news release to learn more, and congratulations to those organizations who received grants! If you received a grant and would like to share the news, check out our newly-created media guide: https://lnkd.in/dzWXm8Zx #grants #inclusive #music #musicfunders #news #Specialprojects #thepresserfoundation https://lnkd.in/dZ5ppUf3

Congratulations to the The Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts on a $2 million grant from William Penn Foundation toward their $4.5 million building renovation. The renovation will create new program rooms and spaces, rearrange existing ones, improve interior circulation, and introduce new lighting, colors, materials, and finishes. The building's exterior and signage will also transform significantly to better reflect its cultural mission. The Foundation was proud to give an initial Capital Support grant toward the renovation project. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ew4WkfEP #philadelphiaclefclub #philadelphia #renovation #grant #jazz #thepresserfoundation

Our final #FridaySpotlightSeries post on an Advancement of Music grantee is here! Our last post again spotlights an organization involved with organs, specifically an organ festival. Founded in 2021, Artcinia seeks to bring community-driven, engaging, affordable performances to neighborhood spaces throughout Philadelphia and beyond, making the arts accessible to all. This past year, they partnered with other organizations, including grantees The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, Marian Anderson Museum And Historical Society, and The Crossing, during the Philadelphia Organ Festival. The Festival featured organ music across the city and representing many different themes and genres. With its deep neighborhood efforts, Artcinia provides a launching point for connection and engagement and the Festival is just one example of that. Learn more about the Festival: https://lnkd.in/gW2RmMGX Dive into Artcinia's work: https://lnkd.in/g5JE6czM Thanks for following along as we profile our grantees and the wonderful work that they do! Check out our website to learn more about who we support and why. And don't forget to attend a performance or two - there are so many opportunities to connect with music that you enjoy. #music #ograns #artcinia #grantees #performances #philadelphia #thepresserfoundation #connection

In the inaugural post in a five part series, Graduate Music Fellow Daniel Jackson examines classical music and its potential to foster social justice and create a more inclusive environment for diverse audiences. In this post, he explores race, culture, and the implied social hierarchy, oppressive practices hidden in plain sight, and whether recent organizations' efforts to program music by female and BIPOC composers are authentic or performative. Dive into his first post, and stayed tuned over this year as he shares more on this topic. #classicalmusic #fellow #music #socialjustice #thepresserfoundation #philadelphia #inclusion

If you're an Advancement of Music grantee that has a budget under $500,000 and/or has completed an oral report before, you can still sign up to complete an oral report for your 2023-24 grant! Reach out to Abby Rolland at arolland@presserfoundation.org if you have any questions. Sign up the via this link: https://lnkd.in/eg9KBFYk

Our next #FridaySpotlightSeries featuring organs in October is Gretna Music. Gretna Music presents music that serves as a catalyst for cultural growth, social connection, and personal enrichment for those in its surrounding communities. Each summer, the organization presents 14-20 concerts at the Mt. Gretna Playhouse and in rural Lebanon County. As part of their programming, Gretna Music hosts education-focused events for kids and their families. Performances are free, sensory-friendly, and presented in a judgment-free environment where movement and interaction are often encouraged. For the past several years, kids have been able to learn how to assemble a pipe organ, how it makes sound, and how it can create music. Learn more about Gretna Music's efforts: https://lnkd.in/ezcMqzby #gretnamusic #grantee #pipeorgan #education #learning #thepresserfoundation

"On this night, underneath a banner of great abolitionist Francis Ellen Watkins Harper, Anna Crusis Feminist Choir challenged the status quo of Western music hierarchy, while skillfully providing an environment filled with inspiration, liberation and empowerment!" Graduate Music Fellow Daniel Jackson's first blog post is live, where he shares his thoughts on the riveting Tattoo Monologues concert by Anna Crusis Feminist Choir, highlighting its diverse repertoire and how the performance "fosters a sense of belonging and empowerment." Dive in to learn more. #annacrusisfeministchoir #fellow #music #greaterphiladelphia #diverse #repertoire #grantee #thepresserfoundation

Our Graduate Music Fellow Daniel Jackson is adding performances to his performance schedule, and wants to learn about yours! Fill out the Grantee Performance Submission form with information about one or more of your performances/programs. Reach out to Daniel (djackson@presserfoundation.org) with any questions. https://lnkd.in/eAMgNpxB #performances #programs #fellow #form