Berklee City Music Receives Grant from National Endowment for the Arts

Berklee College of Music has been approved for a $15,000 Grants for Arts Projects award to support the Berklee City Music High School Academy and Preparatory Academy programs.

The Berklee City Music High School Academy offers students lessons on theory, master classes, and ensembles after school, as well as access to performance opportunities, visiting artist workshops, and other valuable resources on Berklee's campus. With year-round instruction, expert faculty, and a comprehensive curriculum, the program provides students with the tools and support they need to reach their full potential.

The Berklee City Music Preparatory Academy was created for performing artists in the fourth through eighth grades. Using a troupe model that focuses on community and connectivity, the academy puts on two multidisciplinary performances each year: one in December, and one in May to celebrate the end of the program. 

“It is an honor to have these two outstanding programs recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts,” said Krystal Prime Banfield, vice president for Education Outreach and Social Entrepreneurship at Berklee. “The High School Academy and Preparatory Academy programs bring so much joy to students, families, and the Greater Boston community, and we look forward to continuing to provide students with these incredible opportunities through the generous support of the NEA.”

The City Music programs are among more than 1,100 projects across the U.S. that will receive grants totaling nearly $27 million.

“As the country and the arts sector begin to imagine returning to a post-pandemic world, the National Endowment for the Arts is proud to announce funding that will help arts organizations such as Berklee reengage fully with partners and audiences,” said NEA Acting Chairman Ann Eilers. “Although the arts have sustained many during the pandemic, the chance to gather with one another and share arts experiences is its own necessity and pleasure.”

For more information on the projects included in the NEA grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.