We’re thrilled to be part of the Arnold Shultz Fund series and to share our experience.
Our 2024 grant allowed us to offer a free, eight-week guitar class to middle school students at the Americana World Community Center, many of whom are recent arrivals from around the world. The funds enabled us to purchase guitars for students to use during the program and, primarily, to pay our dedicated instructors, Joe Watts and Kasym Moldogaziev, who taught bluegrass guitar basics to this wonderful and diverse group.
The Arnold Shultz Fund’s goal of increasing diversity in bluegrass music resonates strongly with us. At Louisville Folk School, our cultural equity plan highlights the importance of delivering programs beyond our main campus, particularly in neighborhoods where more BIPOC students live. This grant has been instrumental in helping us work toward this shared goal, providing youth in underserved neighborhoods their first introduction to bluegrass music and building a foundation of musical appreciation.
Reflecting on the summer program, we found that focusing each session on two core chords would make learning accessible for all students, even if they joined mid-session. This adaptable approach allows each student to participate fully while those attending all eight weeks build a solid foundation.
Thank you again for the support that made this program possible and for helping us bring bluegrass to new and diverse audiences!
With abundant gratitude,
Dave Howard, Executive Director
Louisville Folk School
RETURN to the February 2025 issue of The Cornerstone.
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