JACKSON, TN, January 16, 2025 — The Jackson Symphony is pleased to announce it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a Challenge America award of $10,000. The grant will support programming and expansion of The Jackson Symphony Music Academy’s Regional Music Centers, which are currently located in seven counties across West Tennessee
“The NEA is proud to continue our nearly 60 years of supporting the efforts of organizations and artists that help to shape our country’s vibrant arts sector in communities of all types across our nation,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “It is inspiring to see the wide range of creative projects taking place, including at The Jackson Symphony. The NEA will award 272 Challenge America awards nationwide totaling $2,720,000 as part of the recent announcement of more than $36 million in funding for fiscal year 2025.
“We are honored to receive our fourth Challenge America Award in three years,” said Sherry Freeman, Executive Director of The Jackson Symphony. “This recognition highlights the dedication of our professional music instructors and their efforts to expand access to orchestral and vocal education.
This grant will enable us to further grow our Regional Music Centers, a program we launched in fall 2023 to provide high-quality, free music instruction to culturally underserved students across the region. With more than 300 string and choir students already enrolled in Crockett, Gibson, Haywood, Henry, Madison, Obion, and Weakley counties, we aim to eventually reach students in all 22 West Tennessee counties, excluding Shelby.”
For more information on other projects included in the NEA’s grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.
Media Contact:
Tracey King
(731) 427-6440
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