Welcome

Marcellus Harper, Executive Director, Collage Dance Collective

Bob Fockler, President, Community Foundation of Greater Memphis

Elizabeth Rouse, President & CEO, ARTSmemphis

 Art Experience Tour

 Lobby: Visual Artist, Toonky Berry

 Studio One: Dance & Music

Investment in infrastructure: individual artists

Host: Elizabeth Cawein, Founder & Executive Director, Music Export Memphis

• A performance featuring the evening's host, Collage Dance, followed by a collaborative set by Music Export Memphis' 2024 Ambassador Access grantees.

• Featuring:

  • Collage Dance Conservatory and Company performing a barre demonstration and three highlights from upcoming productions Firebird, Luminescent and Bluff City Blues.

Studio Two: Jazz & Jookin’

Investment in infrastructure: creative youth development and historically under resourced organizations

Host: Amber Hamilton, President & CEO, Memphis Music Initiative

• Experience a one-of-a-kind student improv performance featuring Memphis Jazz Workshop and Grindhouse Dance, in a debut collaboration.

Courtyard: Opera & Theatre

Investment in infrastructure: unrestricted support of arts organizations

Host: Elizabeth Rouse, ARTSmemphis

• Featuring:

  • Selections from the musical Carmen Jones by Hattiloo Theatre

  • Selections from the opera, Carmen, by Opera Memphis

Closing

• Music Export Memphis Ambassador Access grantees

  • hip-hop/spoken word artist EsMod

  • folk singer-songwriter Aybil

  • pop/R&B performer Lana J.

Elizabeth Cawein, Music Export Memphis

Amber Hamilton, Memphis Music Initiative

1. Evaluate your portfolio, ensure the arts are represented in your giving

2. Use ARTSmemphis, Memphis Music Initiative, Music Export Memphis and the Community Foundation to help you plan and expand your arts giving.

3. Experience the arts year round; you can…

• Use ARTSmemphis’ comprehensive cultural calendar at ARTSmemphis.org.

• Join Music Export Memphis on Thursday, October 10 at the Overton Park Shell for the Tambourine Bash - An unforgettable night of musical collaboration benefiting Music Export Memphis' individual artist grants.

• Join Memphis Music Initiative on Sunday, October 20 for their Block Party at the Hard Rock on Beale Street featuring performances from leaders of grantee organizations led by Tonya Dyson and Steve Lee - A celebration of those supporting the future of Memphis Music.

ARTSmemphis, a 501(c)3, is the Mid-South’s primary arts funder, working behind the scenes to expand the foundation of Memphis’ arts through diligent and diverse support. The granting organization has distributed over $97 million since 1963 and serves as a funding partner, advocate and connector for local artists and arts organizations. For more information, visit artsmemphis.org.

Funding Unrestricted Support of Arts Organizations

In 2024, ARTSmemphis invested $3M in 85 arts organizations and artists.

Our priority is unrestricted funding, providing $1.2M in operating support to 47 organizations this year, enabling:

• Collective budgets totaling $80M

• 2M arts participants

  • 54% People of Color

  • 25% Youth

  • 15% Seniors

  • 6% People living with disabilities

• Programs in every Shelby County zip code

• Employment of 2000 people

  • 47% People of Color

• Engagement of12K+ artists

  • 46% People of Color

Learn more about the Impact of the Arts.

Memphis Music Initiative invests in youth development through transformative music engagement, creating equitable opportunities for Black and Brown youth in Memphis.

Funding Historically Under Resourced Organizations and Creative Youth Development

Since its inception, MMI has allocated over $5M to support local, grassroots arts organizations.

Through Memphis Music Initiative’s (MMI’s) Institute for Nonprofit Excellence, in 2023:

• $370K was granted to 8 organizations;

• $1.5M in new funds were raised by these organizations, from 64 new funders;

• 2200 youth were engaged by these organizations, plus an additional 2500 youth through performances;

• 308K audience members engaged.

MMI’s Capacity Building Program has provided $91K in pro bono professional service grants to 17 organizations; the Summer Beats program provided $44K in grants to 5 organizations, engaging 140+ youth.

Music Export Memphis is a nonprofit export office for Memphis music. We create opportunities for Memphis artists to showcase their music outside the city, building their careers and building our city's international reputation as a music mecca.

Funding Individual Artists
Music Export Memphis (MEM) has awarded more than $225,000 in tour grants to Memphis artists since the launch of its Ambassador program in 2018.

MEM's Merch Fund, which provides micro-grants to Memphis artists to support the creation of physical merchandise (tee shirts, vinyl, etc.) with Memphis-based businesses, has granted more than $86,000 since its launch in 2021, resulting in a gross spend of over $223,000 in the local economy.

In 2023 alone, MEM Ambassadors - a total of 80 funded artists or bands - performed shows in more than 275 cities around the world, including 97 international gigs.