We are excited to share a photo and update from one of our 2026 Arnold Shultz Fund grant recipients: The Schwarzman Centre at the University of Oxford, Rhiannon Giddens Fellowship.
The Schwarzman Centre was awarded one of our 13 Arnold Shultz fund grants this year. This recipient supports the work of acclaimed musician and historian Rhiannon Giddens, who is serving as an inaugural Cultural Fellow for the 2025/2026 academic year. This project encompasses research articles and educational performances designed for both students and the public. As the initiative progresses, published materials based on Rhiannon’s work will be shared directly with the IBMA Foundation to share with our audiences.
The featured photo from June 2026 captures her first moment on the stage of the newly opened Sohmen Concert Hall. Giddens was joined by celebrated vocalist and performer Cécile McLorin Salvant, one of the most important jazz singers of her generation, for an in-depth conversation exploring the Great American Songbook and their shared approaches as women of color examining and performing American historical music.
IBMA Bluegrass Hall of Fame member Arnold Shultz (1886 – 1931) was an African American musician from western Kentucky. Best known as an extraordinary guitarist and fiddle player, Shultz often played with Bill Monroe’s fiddle-playing uncle, Pendleton (“Pen”) Vandiver. It was at these gigs that Monroe met Arnold Shultz and began to emulate his backup guitar style. Shultz was impressed enough with Monroe’s progress that he hired Monroe to play guitar with him at dances, thereby giving Monroe his first jobs as a professional musician. Monroe often credited Shultz with influencing his approach to playing music.
The deadline to apply for the next round of Arnold Shultz Fund grants is January 31, 2027. Qualified individual applicants may also inquire throughout the year about support on a case-by-case basis. For information on applying for an Arnold Shultz Fund grant, becoming a sponsor of an IBMA Foundation Arnold Shultz Fund project or individual grant, or making a donation to the Arnold Shultz Fund, please visit bluegrassfoundation.org or email info@bluegrassfoundation.org.
The IBMA Foundation supports programs and initiatives that foster the growth of bluegrass music. The Foundation helps donors create a bluegrass legacy through charitable donations and planned giving by supporting programs focused on bluegrass-related arts and culture, education, literary work, and historic preservation. Information about all grants and scholarships awarded by the IBMA Foundation may be found at https://bluegrassfoundation.org. For more information, please contact executive director Cassie Wright at (773) 383-2964 or info@bluegrassfoundation.org.
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