New Lewis Prize Report Examines Youth Music in Rural Areas

How do youth-focused music projects differ in urban and rural areas, and where are their connecting points? To answer this question, The Lewis Prize for Music sought out five organizations serving rural communities across the U.S. Their “Sounding from the Heartlands” report is the result of deep conversations with Creative Youth Development organizations representing Appalachian, Black Belt Southern, Borderlands, and Indigenous communities. We recommend a read to anyone working with young people—these firsthand accounts will provide a fresh perspective on youth-focused work. 

In case you missed it, The Lewis Prize is still accepting applications for their 2024 Accelerator Awards through June 2, offering multi-year awards of $500,000 to U.S. organizations serving youth through educational, creative, or performance-based music programs. If you want to learn more, you can sign up (by 6 p.m. EDT tonight!) for their application information session on May 18.