Recording Industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund 

Announces New and Increased Grant Budgets, Urges Grant Use Discretion During COVID-19 Outbreak

$1.7 million in grant funding will support more than 3,000 free, live music performances throughout the United States and Canada in the year ahead.

The Recording Industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund is urging current grant recipients to use caution and discretion in the implementation of their current grant commitments for free, live music performances, even as it announces new and increased budgets.  

MPTF Trustee, Dan Beck, stated, “ While we will continue to honor our current grant commitments, we also want to assure our many community co-sponsors, as well as the members of the American Federation of Musicians who so ably and artistically implement our free live music initiatives, that we will make every effort to support any events postponed, re-scheduled, or in replacement of events, once the Coronavirus outbreak has passed.  We urge all of our participants to follow the leadership of your local health and governmental officials in providing the safest environment for the people in your communities.”

The COVID-19 health event is happening just as the MPTF is preparing to announce new grant budgets for the fiscal 2020-21 year beginning May 1.  The Trust Fund expects to support over 3,000 free live music events in communities throughout North America. The grant budget will feature the largest increase in decades, expanding from $1.2 million to $1.7 million in the year ahead.  

The MPTF-sponsored events include free performances at senior centers and assisted living facilities, music education programs in hundreds of school districts, as well as in parks and other gathering places across the U.S. and Canada.  

Beck continued, “As we prepare for even greater community impact with our initiatives, we also recognize that this momentum coincides with a current widespread health concern and we urge patience and discretion in scheduling these live events.  Live music will be a source of celebration if we act intelligently in the short-term. We will be here for the musicians who receive supplemental income from our grants, once the virus subsides, and to proactively re-engage as local health officials deem public events safe.”  

The recording industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit public service organization whose mission is to support admission-free, live events performed by professional musicians throughout the United States and Canada. Established more than 70 years ago, the MPTF is funded by music companies including Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group. Interested parties may call (212) 391-3950 or visit www.musicpf.org.

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