NAMM Foundation Increases Access to Top Youth Arts Programs

The NAMM Foundation empowers life-enriching, after-school arts programs through a new partnership with the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program (NAHYP) Awards. During a White House ceremony on November 10, 2014, the NAMM Foundation stepped up as the lead sponsor of the awards, which recognize the country’s best creative youth development programs that engage students in the arts to increase academic achievement, improve literacy abilities, communication and cultural awareness.

“NAMM members, through their support of the NAMM Foundation, are ensuring that these outstanding programs are available to enrich the lives of talented young people coast-to-coast,” said Mary Luehrsen, executive director of the NAMM Foundation. “As the First Lady herself said, ‘You teach kids more than just skills in the arts and humanities – you light a fire in them; you help them grow emotionally and socially.’ Thousands of young people will have access to music and the arts this year thanks to this recognition.”

Robin Walenta, president/CEO of West Music Co., Inc. and NAMM board treasurer, joined Luehrsen in the East Room to honor the 2014 National Arts and Humanities Youth Awards winners. First Lady Michelle Obama presented the awards to the programs on behalf of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities (PCAH). In addition to the NAHYP, NAMM Foundation’s also a proud supporter of Turnaround Arts, a PCAH effort that infuses the nation’s lowest performing schools with arts.

The 12 exemplary American, community-based, after-school programs and one international program will receive a $10,000 grant along with capacity-building, networking, and communications support. The NAMM Foundation congratulates the 2014 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award recipients:

The 2014 awardees are:
¡City Arts! Community AfterSchool Program
Providence ¡City Arts for Youth!, Inc.
Providence, RI

CPS Shakespeare!
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Chicago, IL

Delta Blues Museum Arts and Education Program
Clarksdale, MS

everybody dance! after-school program
The Gabriella Foundation
Los Angeles, CA

Project STEP, Inc.
Intensive String Training Program for Black and Latino Young People
Boston, MA

Job Training in the Arts
Downtown Aurora Visual Arts
Aurora, CO

Workshop Houston
Middle School Program
Houston, TX

New Ballet Ensemble
Memphis, TN

New Victory Usher Corps
The New Victory Theatre
New York, NY

Publicolor, Inc.
Continuum of Design-based Programs
New York, NY

Teens Make History
Missouri History Museum
Saint Louis, MO

TeenSpace Circle of Mentoring
Santa Ana Public Library
Santa Ana, CA

International Spotlight Award

Salaam Baalak Trust
New Delhi and Mumbai, India  

First presented in 1998, the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award is presented annually in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). For more information about the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards, visit www.pcah.gov.

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About NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a non-profit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its 9,200 members around the world. The NAMM Foundation works to advance active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.