Photo Credit: Charlotte, North Carolina, by Daniel Weiss

The Music Impact Coalition will kick off its new initiative starting in North Carolina with a combined $3 million grant for music and arts education.

A coalition of more than 20 of the nation’s top music and arts foundations and organizations has joined forces on an initiative to ensure that every student in the United States has access to quality music and arts education—regardless of resources, location, or circumstances.

The initiative, known as the Music Impact Coalition (MIC), will debut in North Carolina with a $2 million grant from The Tullman Family Office and $1 million from The Enlight Foundation. The project will test scalable models for equitable music and arts education in public schools nationwide.

North Carolina was selected as the pilot market after members of the MIC evaluated locations where program implementation would have the “most impactful, actionable insights” for a scalable national model. The state includes eight school districts that vary significantly in demographics and needs, including rural agricultural communities, mountainous regions, suburban areas, and major urban locations.

North Carolina has a deep musical heritage that includes traditional folk, bluegrass, and blues. Alongside modern indie and hip-hop scenes, the state provides a rich environment for creative education and artistic development. It serves as a prime landscape for the coalition to learn what works in various settings to build a framework that can adapt to public school systems nationwide.

The eight North Carolina school districts covered in the pilot include Buncombe County Schools, Newton-Conover City Schools, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, Chatham County Schools, Cumberland County School, Pitt County Schools, Wayne County Public Schools, and an additional district yet to be announced.

MIC leadership will meet in the state on October 15 and 16 to launch the strategic grantmaking process in coordination with school districts, state partners, and educators. Using initial findings from data assessments and insights by the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, the MIC, along with its funders and partners, will establish priorities and actionable paths for music and arts education grounded in efficacy and sustainability.

Key state partners supporting the initiative in North Carolina include the North Carolina Arts Council, the NC Department of Public Instruction, Arts North Carolina, and the North Carolina Music Educators Association.

Coalition members include Adopt the Arts, Americans for the Arts, Artist for Artist, Arts Education Partnership, CMA Foundation, Creating Abundance Collaborative, D’Addario Foundation, Duke University, Education Through Music, Enlight Foundation, Give a Note Foundation, Grammy Museum, Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts, The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, Let Music Fill My World, Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, Music Will, NAMM Foundation, National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, National Association for Music Education, NORC, Save the Music, the Recording Academy, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, and Tullman Family Office.

“As AI reshapes how we live and work, we need to rethink what young people require from their education,” said Cayley Tull, President of the Tullman Family Office. “Our future leaders need opportunities to imagine, create, collaborate, and connect with others. Music and the arts give young people space to develop those abilities, discover their own voices, and build a sense of belonging. Through the Music Impact Coalition, we’re working to ensure every young person has access to the creative experiences that will help them thrive in their communities, in the workforce, and throughout their lives.”

“Prioritizing youth mental well-being is one of the most vital investments we can make today,” says Xin Liu, Founder of Enlight Foundation. “Music and the arts offer young people a safe haven to express themselves, build confidence, and foster meaningful connections. They create essential pathways for youth to thrive. We hope more funders will join forces with MIC!”