Transforming Young Lives Through Music: Lessons from Five Years of Impact in Creative Youth Development

 
The Ensemble seeks to connect and inform all people who are committed to ensemble music education for youth empowerment and social change.
 
The Ensemble Newsletter

Regions

Africa

Asia/Oceania

Europe

Latin America

North America

Topics

Teaching & Learning

Program Design

Student Voice & Leadership

Community Building

Collaborations

Funding & Support

Perspectives & Collective Action

News & Resources

Transforming Young Lives Through Music: Lessons from Five Years of Impact in Creative Youth Development

Alexis Jackson, Data Analysis Officer, The Lewis Prize for Music

03-05-2025

Memphis Music Initiative, Tennessee, USA. Photo: Jen Prince.

Music has the power to transform lives, strengthen communities, and challenge the systems that shape them—but what does that transformative process actually look like? For the past five years, The Lewis Prize for Music (TLPM) has been addressing this question by supporting organizations that harness music’s power to uplift and empower young people. 

The Roots of Music, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Photo: The Roots of Music.

With over $14 million awarded to 81 organizations across the United States and its territories, the impact has been profound. Through its annual Accelerator Awards, TLPM has engaged with more than 667 Creative Youth Development (CYD) programs, offering not just large-scale funding—$500,000 multi-year grants—but also research support and community grants. 

The recently released “TLPM Summative Report” offers a compelling look at how these organizations are creating lasting change. The insights from this work are invaluable for anyone invested in the development of young people.

These findings highlight a critical reality: many CYD organizations face common challenges in sustaining and growing their work. Data from applications and research groups reveal that most CYD organizations fall into at least two of these three demographic categories, and as such they experience greater barriers to sustainable growth and funding:

  • BIPOC-led organizations
  • Annual operating budgets under $1 million
  • Organizations less than 30 years old

Yet despite these challenges, these organizations continue to thrive and create meaningful change. If you step into any one of these programs, you’ll find young people ages 5-25 engaging in far more than music-making—they’re developing leadership skills, finding mentorship, and gaining access to critical resources that shape their futures.

The Bridge Music Project, Washington State, USA. Photo: Alexandra Laur.

Walk into any of these spaces, and you’ll hear an exciting mix of musical styles that resonate with today’s youth—from hip-hop and singer-songwriter performances to traditional compositions and digital music production. Listen closely, and you’ll hear something even more powerful: young voices using all these kinds of music to tell their stories, advocate for change, and bridge generational divides.

What makes these programs exceptional is how they extend beyond music. Need mental health support? They provide it. Looking for job skills? They offer training in music production, event management, and more. Facing barriers like transportation or technology access? They work to remove these barriers, helping to ensure that every young person has a place to belong.

At their core, these programs are building a more equitable world. They hire teaching artists who reflect their communities, elevate youth voices in decision-making, and use the arts as a powerful force for social change. The young people they serve aren’t just participants—they’re becoming leaders, changemakers, and the voices shaping their communities.

As TLPM concludes its remarkable journey, our final report offers more than just data—it offers hope. The TLPM Summative Report shows what’s possible when we invest in young people through music. Whether you’re an educator, funder, policymaker, or simply someone who believes in music’s ability to transform lives, you will learn something about how elevating the principle of Creative Youth Development can lead to lasting change in shaping young lives.

Ready to learn more? Click here to read the full report.

Alexis Jackson, Arts Funding, BIPOC-led Organizations, Community Building, Creative Youth Development, Equity in the Arts, Job Skills through Music, Leadership, March 2025, Music and Mental Health, Music Education, Music Mentorship, Social Change, Teaching Artists, The Lewis Prize for Music, TLPM, TLPM Summative Report, Youth Empowerment, Youth Leadership

Related Content

Share

ABOUT US MASTHEAD THE AMBASSADORS THE ARCHIVES SUBSCRIBE CONTACT
© Copyright 2022 Ensemble News