The Newport String Project today announced that it has been awarded a $10,000 Challenge America grant by the National Endowment for the Arts.
This grant will support performances by our resident ensemble, the Newport String Quartet, pop-up performances at local community meals, and two Open Mic night events that feature performances by our students.
“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support arts projects in communities nationwide,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “Projects such as this one with The Newport String Project strengthen arts and cultural ecosystems, provide equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, and contribute to the health of our communities and our economy.”
Newport String Project’s Artistic Director Ealaín McMullin notes, “we are honored by this recognition of our community-based approach to cultivating relationships between musicians, youth, and audiences through concerts and teaching activities that spark joy and connection. Exploring what is possible when a professional string quartet is embedded in the community – engaging with Newport’s unique strengths and extraordinary history – is at the heart of NSP’s practice. This Challenge America grant is an exciting milestone in this our 10th anniversary season, and we look forward to welcoming the community to this special series of events.”
The Newport String Project is a chamber music performance and youth mentoring initiative that crosses boundaries of generation, heritage, and economic circumstances through access to inspiring musical experiences. Founded in 2012, The Newport String Project is the realization of a unique vision: a professional string quartet residency in Newport that provides free individual and group music instruction each week to students ages 5 through 17, and exceptional performances throughout the region. The Newport String Quartet is at the heart of The Newport String Project and performs throughout Newport County in traditional and non-traditional venues. Throughout this 10th anniversary season the Newport String Quartet will be performing works that reflect its repertoire philosophy: masterworks by Haydn, Mozart and Ravel, will be featured alongside forgotten masterpieces by Joseph Bologne, and innovative music of our time by Gabriela Frank and Kareem Roustom.