2022 BCM Grants
BCM Grant Acknowledgments
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Professional Development and Artistic Planning FY23, South Arts
Date Awarded: December 16th, 2022
Award Amount: $1,000
Description Supported by South Arts Professional Development and Artistic Planning grant opportunity, Birthplace of Country Music Museum (BCMM) Digital Media, Programming & Exhibit Logistics Manager Scotty Almany will attend the 2023 Jekyll Island Management Institute (JIMI) January 17 – 24 where he will take part in comprehensive sessions and workshops designed to establish a more advanced knowledge of current institutional best practices for the museum field. Funding from South Arts will assist BCM in offsetting the costs associated with this important professional development opportunity.
Additional Information
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The United Company Foundation
Date Awarded: December 2022
Award Amount: $25,000
Description The United Company Foundation has generously supported continued development of a variety of BCM’s educational resources. The museum acts as an educational and cultural resource through its permanent and temporary exhibits and this funding supported continued educational tours and outreach programs; curricula-based lesson plans and learning resources; free and low-cost public programming; the preservation of historic artifacts and images and more. BCMM’s goal is to make arts, history, and cultural programming and activities widely accessible to the residents of Bristol and regional communities, while in the process reaching a wide range of visitors from diverse backgrounds. In addition, BCMM’s educational offerings support local and regional schools by providing engaging, hands-on experiences and learning resources for all grade levels.
The United Company Foundation was created in 1986 to provide assistance to charitable organizations in our local community and throughout the surrounding region. The Foundation is a private non-profit entity providing grants to eligible 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations. The Foundation makes substantial contributions of time and money to those organizations served.
Additional Information
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The Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation
Date Awarded: December 10th, 2022
Award Amount: $5,000
Description The Birthplace of Country Music, Inc. (BCM) was awarded $5,000 in grant funding to continue to support and enhance the production and distribution of Radio Bristol’s Farm & Fun Time program, a musical variety program that introduces and familiarizes listeners with contemporary Appalachian culture and music through a variety of segments including storytelling, regional farms visits and live music. BCM used this funding to purchase additional video recording equipment upgrades that will continue to enhance the overall production value and distribution capacity of the program.
The Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation was established in 1996 by Christian Frederick Martin IV to serve the charitable interests of the Martin Guitar Company. The Foundation’s core principles are to support Martin Guitar’s engagement with nonprofit music, arts, education, and environmental action organizations. The Foundation does not fund political or religious organizations or activity. The Trustees manage the Foundation’s assets conservatively to allow for long-term planning and seek best value from Foundation grant-making for the people and causes that their grantees serve.
Additional Information
Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation
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Marketing Leverage Program, Virginia Tourism Corporation
Date Awarded: November 2022
Award Amount: $5,000
Description Grant funding from the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Microbusiness Marketing Leverage Program will support the marketing and promotional campaign of the upcoming special exhibit, “I’ve Endured: Women in Old-Time Music”, created in-house at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. The exhibit will feature several female musicians in the genre, past and present, and explore their impact and achievements, challenges they’ve faced, their role in keeping the old-time music tradition alive, and the ways that they are innovating and pushing the genre’s boundaries. The exhibit will be on display at the museum opening in March 2023 – December 2023 (exact dates TBD) and will then travel to other venues. This funding will also support BCM in the creation of a robust, content-heavy website about the women in old-time music exhibit, which will be integrated into BCM’s website. This digital presence for the exhibit will consist of educational resources, photographs, videos and downloadable worksheets and will enable the museum to extend the exhibit’s content and reach beyond its physical presence in the Special Exhibits Gallery and provide extensive resources to hosting venues while the exhibit travels. The web page will provide an opportunity for patrons who cannot visit the exhibit in person to experience the exhibit and its programming online.
Additional Information
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Technical and Organizational Development Assistance Grants, Virginia Commission for the Arts
Date Awarded: November 2022
Award Amount: $1,000
Description This funding was granted by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Virginia Commission for the Arts Technical and Organizational Development Assistance grant program awarded BCM $1,000 to assist the Director of Operations staff member, Baylor Hall, in attending the International Festival and Events Association’s (IFEA) Event Management School, year 2 in January 2023. The Event Management School offers a 2 year training program; Baylor Hall has previously completed year 1 of the program in 2020 but was unable to attend in 2021 due to the pandemic. The IFEA Event Management School was designed around the concept of bringing new and mid-career industry professionals together with some of the most highly respected and experienced professionals in the field, for a comprehensive educational and networking opportunity that will cover the critical basics of successful event management and then put students in an applied-knowledge project environment to test and further what they have learned. Attending year 2 will build upon the foundations previously gained.
Additional Information
Virginia Commission for the Arts
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Rapid Grants, Virginia Humanities
Date Awarded: November 1st, 2022
Award Amount: $3,784
Description The funding was awarded to support the 2023 summer educator fellowships program, a new initiative of BCM. To implement this fellowship, BCM will work directly with two educators from the Bristol, TN/VA school systems. Educators will collaborate with museum staff during their fellowship to accomplish several educational objectives, including assessing the initial effectiveness of the lesson plans project; developing new lesson plans on a variety of subject areas relevant to our mission; making updates and grade-related revisions to BCM’s current student educational activity sheets (available as a free resource to educators on our website); plan and implement additional educational resources; assist in the delivery of two educator in-service workshops planned for July 2023; assess quarterly BCMM Educator Newsletter for possible improvements and additions and creation of advocacy materials and outreach opportunities to share with the local and regional education community.
Additional Information
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The Economic Development Fund of East Tennessee 2022
Date Awarded: September 1st, 2022
Award Amount: $5,000
Description This funding from the East Tennessee Foundation was awarded to support attendance registration costs and expenses for the 2023 American Bus Association Marketplace Conference in Detroit, MI to be held February 4-7, 2023. Attending this conference will strengthen regional economic development by equipping our staff with a networking opportunity that will assist in further promoting our region as a premier tourism destination. ABA features more than 3,500 tour operators, suppliers and exhibitors and is a vibrant forum of buyers and sellers, and includes pre-scheduled appointments with pre-qualified tour operators. ABA includes meetings with operators, networking events, and educational seminars. Training will not only assist BCM, but will provide an impact to the surrounding region to be better equipped to successfully stir tourism and promote positive economic growth and development in our community and beyond.
Additional Information
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND OF EAST TENNESSEE
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The Massengill-DeFriece Foundation
Date Awarded: August 8th, 2022
Award Amount: $10,000
Description With this funding from the Massengill-DeFriece Foundation, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum now has phase two of the exhibit planning costs for an upcoming exhibit focused on highlighting women in old-time music funded. This funding will go towards the fabrication costs of the exhibit, including exhibit design, printing and production of exhibit panels and structural elements, production of A/V assets and other production needs. Despite the fact that there are numerous women who made their mark historically in old-time music, and numerous female musicians who are at work in the contemporary old-time genre, the story of old-time music is still primarily told through the work and achievements of male musicians. This exhibit will acknowledge and present that obscured history, but it will also move beyond that to examine the challenges faced by women within the field in the past and today, explore the ways that women have innovated and pushed the boundaries of old-time music, highlight their lasting contributions to the genre, and present their vision for its future. Creating a special exhibit in-house gives us the opportunity to develop the story we want to tell, connect the content more specifically to our overall museum content and to the stories in our local and regional communities, and to engage relevant scholars and musicians in the creation of the exhibit’s content and educational and public programming.
Additional Information
About the Exhibit “Exploring the Infinite Potential of Women in Old-Time Music”
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Arts Fund, East Tennessee Foundation
Date Awarded: July 28th, 2022
Award Amount: $10,000
Description This funding from the East Tennessee Foundation will assist The Birthplace of Country Music Museum in funding phase three of the exhibit planning of an in-house exhibit featuring women in old-time music, planned to open in late 2022. This funding will support phase three of the exhibit planning which included the public programming activities that will go along with the exhibit, enabling the museum to offer a wide range of workshops, performances, online resources, and other programs and make these accessible to a variety of audiences. The Women in Old-Time Music special exhibit and related public programming are important because they will enhance and extend our knowledge and understanding of this important musical heritage, while also helping audiences to explore and appreciate the deeper impact and influence of female musicians, past and present. We aim to create experiences that will present an engaging and meaningful view into women’s history.
Additional Information
About the Exhibit “Exploring the Infinite Potential of Women in Old-Time Music”
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Virginia Commission for the Arts, Artist in Education Grants FY23
Date Awarded: July 26th, 2022
Award Amount: $5,284
Description This funding was granted by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. The Virginia Commission for the Arts Artist in Education FY23 grant program will benefit the Birthplace of Country Music’s Pick Along Summer Camps at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in July 2022 and June 2023. Pick Along Summer Camps deliver music and museum education through engaging educational camp sessions aimed at beginner and intermediate musicians ages 8—16. In addition to learning about Bristol’s important role in the history of country music, campers learn the basics of traditional stringed instruments and apply the skills they’ve learned with live and on-air performances. Children receive instruction on several of the same style instruments that were used in the historic 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings (including banjo, acoustic guitar and fiddle), explore the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, learn about the music of Bristol and our region, receive instruction in singing and dancing, get an introduction to our working radio station, and learn about other concepts and disciplines that make up the rich tapestry of country music.
Additional Information
Virginia Commission for the Arts Grant Award Announcements
Virginia Commission for the Arts Website
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Virginia Commission for the Arts, General Operating Support Award 2022-23
Date Awarded: July 19th, 2022
Award Amount: $90,400
Description This general operating support funding was granted by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. The Birthplace of Country Music’s yearly programming and services includes preserving and promoting the region’s music heritage and its impact and legacy; educating audiences through engaging learning experiences; providing resources and opportunities for our local and regional communities; advocating on arts impact; reaching new and underserved audiences; developing partnerships with other organizations; and creating economic benefit for Bristol. This generous funding from Virginia Commission for the Arts is important and will assist and enable BCM to more fully focus on fulfilling our mission, in turn allowing us to continue to deliver and bring significant opportunities and resources to our community and to assist in providing a lasting economic impact.
Additional Information
Virginia Commission for the Arts Grant Award Announcements
Virginia Commission for the Arts Website
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Alpha Metallurgical Resources Grant Award
Date Awarded: July 6th, 2022
Award Amount: $500
Description Funding in support of general operations of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.
Additional Information
Alpha Metallurgical Resources Website
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Genan Foundation
Date Awarded: June 30th, 2022
Award Amount: $50,000
Description This grant funding from the Genan Foundation will be used for construction of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum’s (BCMM) expansion project. In late 2019, BCM was awarded a grant by the Cabell Foundation of Richmond, Virginia in the amount of $275,000 to be used towards a large capital campaign project of expanding the museum. This expansion planning period will be from 2022-2025, and plans include an increased exhibit space for core exhibits, Radio Bristol editing bays, an education space, and storage for archival and collections. Awarded funds from the Genan Foundation will be used as part of the Cabell Foundation’s challenge grant match. This generous funding will support the mission of the Birthplace of Country Music, Inc. and will act as a major contributor to the revitalization of downtown Bristol.
Additional Information
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Arts Project Support, Tennessee Arts Commission
Date Awarded: June 15, 2022
Award Amount: $8,300
Description Support from the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Arts Project Support grant program will be used to support artist’s fees for the 21st annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots
Reunion music festival (BRRR) planned for September 9th – 11th, 2022. Funds will be used for artists who will be performing on stages located in Bristol, Tennessee and for the school
performance for Bristol, TN elementary and middle school students on Friday during school hours. The performances for students are provided at no charge to the school or students. BCM is grateful for this generous continued support from the Tennessee Arts Commission.
Additional Information
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City of Bristol, Virginia, FY23 General Operating Support
Date Awarded: May 24th, 2022
Award Amount: $50,000
Description The City of Bristol, Virginia has supported the Birthplace of Country Music, Inc. for FY23 general operating support. With the economic impact that BCM is able to provide to the entire region, this funding will continue to allow BCM to pursue our mission and continue to provide positive impact to our community and region. The mission of the Birthplace of Country Music is to perpetuate, promote, and celebrate Bristol’s rich musical heritage; to educate and engage audiences worldwide regarding the history, impact and legacy of the 1927 Bristol Sessions; and to create recognition, opportunities, and economic benefit for our local and regional communities.
Additional Information
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The Rea Charitable Trust, Wells Fargo
Date Awarded: May 19th, 2022
Award Amount: $5,000
Description The Rea Charitable Trust generously granted $5,000 to the Birthplace of Country Music, Inc. in support of organizational operating expenses of the organization, which will continue to make a tangible difference to our work as we strive to enable our staff to better direct expertise, time, and resources towards fulfilling the our mission and delivering high-impact educational opportunities, meaningful programming, and engaging experiences to our community and visitors. The Rea Charitable Trust was created in 2009 with its primary purpose being the promotion of the arts.
Additional Information
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Marketing Leverage Program, Virginia Tourism Corporation
Date Awarded: April 14th, 2022
Award Amount: $5,000
Description Grant funding from the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Marketing Leverage Program will enable BCM to develop the “Where Country Music Began” marketing campaign to support programming and events at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. This plan will also highlight additional exciting things visitors can do to make the most of their time in Bristol. In 2022, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum will showcase two special exhibits: “It’ll Tickle Yore Innards!”: A (Hillbilly) History of Mountain Dew, from February until August; and 1968: A Folsom Redemption, from August until November. It’ll Tickle Yore Innards! explores Mountain Dew’s storied history, which began in the hills of Appalachia. The content also examines the region’s moonshining history and its ever-present “hillbilly” stereotype. The same “hillbilly” stereotype which was very prominent during the 1927 Sessions and its ”hillbilly” records. This campaign will encourage people to visit the museum and will highlight the special exhibits. 1968: A Folsom Redemption is a photographic exhibit based on the work of two journalists who were at Johnny Cash’s historic Folsom Prison concerts.
Additional Information
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Virginia Special Events & Festivals Program, Virginia Tourism Corporation
Date Awarded: April 7th, 2022
Award Amount: $20,000
Description Grant funding from the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Special Events & Festivals Program will enable BCM to develop a marketing program for our festival outside of a 150 mile radius. Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion (BRRR) is a music festival held annually in downtown Bristol, VA/TN and is produced by the Birthplace of Country Music. The festival began in 2001 and celebrated the 20th anniversary in 2021 and was canceled in 2020 due to the Covid-10 pandemic. The festival has a yearly lineup of over 100 artists, includes a free Children’s Day event on Saturday and vendors line the streets of downtown creating an exciting atmosphere. Typically the festival draws over 40,000 people to our downtown during the second week in September. BCM is excited and expects to return to a close to normal pre-pandemic attendance numbers in 2022 based on early ticket sales to date.
Additional Information
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City of Bristol, Tennessee, FY22 General Operating Support
Date Awarded: Spring 2022
Award Amount: $30,000
Description The City of Bristol, Tennessee has supported the Birthplace of Country Music, Inc. for FY23 general operating support. With the economic impact that BCM is able to provide to the entire region, this funding will continue to allow BCM to pursue our mission and continue to provide positive impact to our community and region. The mission of the Birthplace of Country Music is to perpetuate, promote, and celebrate Bristol’s rich musical heritage; to educate and engage audiences worldwide regarding the history, impact and legacy of the 1927 Bristol Sessions; and to create recognition, opportunities, and economic benefit for our local and regional communities.
Additional Information
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Virginia Commission for the Arts, Technical and Organizational Development Assistance Grant
Date Awarded: February 24, 2022
Award Amount: $750
Description This funding from Virginia Commission for the Arts supported a BCM staff member in attending the Virginia Association of Museums 2022 Conference. This year’s conference theme was “Redefining Museums in Changing Landscapes” and focused on how museums and arts and cultural based organizations can move forward from recent events, including the pandemic, current events and ever changing community needs. Virginia Commission for the Arts receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Additional Information
