A community radio station in Madrid will host a free all-day music festival and a small-town arts celebration in Mountainair will support a dozen musicians as part of New Mexico’s effort to bring music programming to underserved communities.
KMRD-96.9 FM will use grant funding from the New Mexico Music Commission to celebrate its 10th anniversary with a music festival Saturday, Aug. 23, from noon to 9 p.m. at the Madrid ballpark. The event will feature live music, art, food, activities and community resources.
The Manzano Mountain Art Council will receive support for more than 12 musicians performing at its 25th anniversary Sunflower Festival in Mountainair set for Aug. 23. The community arts and music festival draws over 3,000 visitors and 50 artist vendors to the small town.
The two organizations are among 12 statewide receiving a combined $30,000 through the Music in the Community Grants Program, now in its second year. The program targets rural, tribal, veteran, disability and other underserved communities.
“The New Mexico Music Commission appreciates the chance to contribute to the vibrant music community within our state,” said commission chair Carlos Medina.
Other grant recipients include organizations planning mariachi performances for Day of the Dead celebrations, expanding school guitar programs and bringing symphony musicians into elementary classrooms.
The Cibola Arts Council will host a mariachi band for its annual Day of the Dead/Ancestral Celebration in November and musical performances during December’s Bayanihan Filipino Cultural Extravaganza.
Horizons of Albuquerque plans to expand its summer guitar program into year-round lessons for students in grades 4-12, while the San Juan Symphony will bring fourth-graders into interactive concerts through its “Inside the Orchestra” program.
The New Mexico Music Commission, a governor-appointed body administered by New Mexico Arts, works to protect, promote and preserve the state’s musical traditions.
Additional grant recipients include AfroMundo, Carrizozo Music Inc., Eastern New Mexico University, IndigenousWays Festival, Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative Inc., Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce and Southwest Roots Music.
Information about all grant recipients and their projects is available online.
