Founded in 1994, Music Maker Relief Foundation has improved the lives of more than 300 traditional musicians around the country. Music Maker nourishes the roots of American music by empowering artists to share their talents with the world while increasing their self-sufficiency. Music Maker artists are over the age of 55, have an average annual income of less than $10,000 and are purveyors of blues, bluegrass, folk and gospel music.
Musical Development, Musician Sustenance and Cultural Access programs enable Music Maker to expose diverse audiences and new generations around the world to the history and brilliance of traditional American music. Through international and domestic live performances, educational programs and recordings, Music Maker artists gain recognition, increase their incomes, and improve the quality of their lives.
Program Overview:
Musician Sustenance Program
Offering support for musicians living in poverty
• Provides monthly stipends for food, shelter and medical care
• Supplies emergency aid for artists in crisis
• Connects artists with government and nonprofit resources
Musical Development Program
Launching artists’ careers with a hand up, not a hand out
• Guides professional career development
• Manages worldwide bookings and tours
• Documents artists’ lives and work through multiple media sources
• Provides instrument and equipment grants
• Grants merchandise to artists for sale and promotion
• Cultivates public relations and radio play
Cultural Access Program
Preserves and presents American musical traditions for the benefit of local communities, worldwide education and future generations
• Brings live performances to underserved populations
• Provides educational programming and internships for students
• Offers free access to artists’ information and music
• Maintains permanent, multi-media archive
Please donate today at www.musicmaker.org and help keep the music alive.
Music Maker Relief Foundation is a tax exempt, public charity under IRS code 501(c) 3.
