Reverb, the largest online marketplace dedicated to buying and selling new, used, and vintage musical instruments, today announced that it has issued a new round of musical instrument grants through its Reverb Gives initiative. A dozen organizations, including Girls Make Beats, AFRORACK, Music & Youth Initiative, and TAP Creative CIC, received grants to purchase musical instruments for their youth education programs, benefitting an estimated more than 60,000 students.
“Our Reverb Gives grants help youth music organizations get the music gear they need for their programs and this year, many of these organizations were looking for instruments to help them expand their programs to new locations,” said David Mandelbrot, Chief Executive Officer at Reverb. “With all of the obstacles that the music-making industry has faced over the past two years, it is incredibly inspiring to see youth music organizations growing and expanding, and we are proud to play a role.”
For example, Miami & LA based Girls Make Beats non-profit organization has empowered thousands of girls in its ten years by expanding the female presence of music producers, DJs, and audio engineers. The team plans to use this Reverb Gives grant to purchase MIDI controllers and other music gear to outfit their new in-person learning studios in Los Angeles & Miami opening August 2022 and expand in person programming into Atlanta, New York, and Washington DC.
According to Whitney Taber, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Girls Make Beats, “Through our virtual courses, we are able to impact more young girls worldwide by providing access to music technology education, certifications, lessons on DJing, music production, and audio engineering. This grant will go to resources to expand services for girls in underserved communities by hosting virtual courses, in-person opportunities, networking events, workshops and so much more. Thank you, Reverb.”
Other organizations that received Reverb Gives grants include:
- AFRORACK, an audio arts organization committed to providing youth of color access to modular synthesizers and sound design tools through a collection of workshops, seminars, and ambitious STEM education programming. Originally based in Chicago, AFRORACK used their grant to open a new workshop and studio space in South London, UK.
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- Said Aaron Guice at AFRORACK, “Through Reverb’s contribution, we’ll be able to outfit the AFRORACK LONDON space and both create a new generation of producers and beatmakers in that community and foster a spirit of connection and international teamwork.”
- Music & Youth Initiative, which partners with youth development organizations serving under-resourced urban communities to provide a safe place for young people to explore their musical interests. The Massachusetts-based organization’s Music Clubhouses and Mobile Studios serve as dedicated after-school music-making spaces and their Reverb Gives grant will help them outfit these spaces with the musical equipment that they need.
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- “This will enhance participants’ overall experience with the Music Clubhouses and provide the first step in developing a life-long passion for music that engages, uplifts, and brings joy,” said David Bickel of Music & Youth Initiative.
- TAP Creative CIC, a UK-based nonprofit whose mission is to improve the well-being and interpersonal skills of local youth through music and collaboration. Their pilot program provides students from local pupil referral unit schools – who often come from disadvantaged backgrounds – with tuition for hours of music instrumentation, songwriting, recording, and production in their recording studio. They plan to use their Reverb Gives grant to buy music gear that will allow them to conduct live performances at local music venues.
Other organizations that received grants in 2022 include Class Act Detroit, Enriching Lives through Music, Girls Rock Santa Barbara, National Blues Museum, Price Hill Will, Save the Music Foundation, and Rock to the Future.
Any youth music education program in need of musical instruments can apply for a Reverb Gives grant. For more information on the program, including when the application opens, visit www.reverbgives.com.
