Black Music City Returns, supporting creatives inspired by Philadelphia’s black music history
Black Music City, a collaboration between Philadelphia public music radio stations WXPN and WRTI, as well as talent incubator REC Philly, returns for 2022 – and for a second year it will provide grants to Black artists to produce new artistic inspired by Philadelphia’s rich Black music history. For its second year, the program is anticipated to grant a total of nearly $100,000, doubling its impact from last year, awarded $48,000 in grants to 23 local Black musicians, songwriters, journalists, visual artists, and more.
Black artists in the greater Philadelphia region (PA, NJ and DE) working in any creative medium can again apply for grants to help them create new projects that recognize and honor the influence of Philadelphia’s Black music history, known worldwide for having nurtured and developed many groundbreaking musical styles and artists. The deadline for applications is December 17, 2021.
A committee of Black Philadelphia professionals in the arts, media and business will review applications to select and award grants of between $1,000 and $3,500, to be announced February 1, 2022. Work completed and submitted by grantees will then be featured in specially-produced Black Music City videos and a celebratory Juneteenth (June 19) event. The works will also be promoted by the project’s partners to the broader Philadelphia arts community and beyond.
Roger LaMay, general manager for WXPN, said, “Thanks to new funding from the Wyncote Foundation and the City of Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, we have increased the ability for Black Music City to give aspiring local creatives working in a variety of media the opportunity to represent and celebrate Black artistry in Philadelphia. We will continue to fundraise to serve more artists.”
Full information about available grants, eligibility, submission deadlines and more is available at www.blackmusiccity.com. Follow and share about the project using #blackmusiccity.