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Join the Skoll World Forum for Free

 

 

04-01-2026

The Skoll World Forum (April 21–24) is one of the world’s most distinguished gatherings of thought leaders, focusing on finding solutions to global problems.

EDITORIAL
The Stories We’re Speaking Into

Dr. Tasha Golden, singer-songwriter and behavioral scientist

04-01-2026

Across the field of music for social impact, a lot of energy goes toward communication: Tell your story. Build your evidence base. Find the right combination of data and narrative, and you’ll finally get the support or decisions you’re seeking.

I work across sectors on exactly these goals: helping organizations design research studies that reflect their unique approaches and articulate their impact in ways that actually land. So I get it: refining communication is valuable work.

But it’s not the full picture. And our failure to see that full picture keeps us from igniting the changes we value. 

New Grant Program from El Sistema USA

 

 

04-01-2026

El Sistema USA is launching Summer Now!, a new grant initiative for accelerated learning in summer programming.

From Spark to Flame: A Glance at Fire Up! 2025

Elisabetta Lapadula, Communications Manager, SONG – Sistema Lombardia

04-01-2026

Imagine choosing—on purpose—to stop. To give yourself a moment of attention and ask, without judgment, a simple question: “Why do I do this work?” It’s a small exercise of meditation and self-awareness that we rarely find time for in our noisy daily routine. And yet, in that brief pause, something can appear: a spark that feeds the question, gives it space, and makes it louder.

For me, Fire Up! 2025 in Athens—a four-day teaching artist residency led by the Academy for Impact through Music (AIM)—was that spark. 

Tickets (and Slots) Still Available for Side by Side Music Camp

 

 

04-01-2026

The gigantic music camp Side by Side 2026, happening June 12–17 and hosted by Sweden’s Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, is now selling a limited number of tickets for its Festival and Closing Concerts this summer.

Suggested Reading: Music as a Social Prescription

 

 

04-01-2026

“Social Music as a Prescription for Maintaining Wellness” is an article by renowned U.S. jazz musician Jon Batiste and Joanne Loewy, Director of the Department of Music Therapy and Professor at New York City’s Icahn School of Medicine.

SIMM Opportunities in 2026: Seminars and Journals

04-01-2026

Two SIMM (Social Impact of Music Making) research seminars are welcoming attendees.

Free Newsletter Offers Resources for Cultural Orgs

 

 

04-01-2026

Check out the free newsletter published by the cultural mobility organization On the Move—it includes global news, open calls for presenting and other opportunities, residencies, competitions, training, fellowships, jobs, and resources.

New Report Measures Long-Term Impact of Youth Community Arts Programs

 

 

04-01-2026

A new report from The Wallace Foundation, “Creative Expression, Caring Relationships, and Career Pathways: A Guide to Youth Outcomes in Community Arts Programs,” identifies the long-term benefits of these programs.

Music Learning and Olympic Excellence

 

 

04-01-2026

Many of us were absorbed in watching the extraordinary performances at the Winter Olympics in Italy.

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