Trenton Downtown Association hears sweet music with Levitt AMP Music Series 3-year grant
Trenton residents who had hoped to vote for Trenton to receive a Levitt AMP Music Series grant for the summer of 2019 can turn their concentration toward next week’s mid-term elections.
Trenton Downtown Association can plan on long-term goals after receiving one of three multiyear grants that totaled $75,000. Trenton joined Middlesboro, KY and Sheboygan, WI. The matching funds allow Trenton to continue 10 free outdoor concerts in Mill Hill Park for the next three summers.
“We are thrilled to announce Trenton as a multi-year Levitt AMP grant award winner,” Sharon Yazowski, executive director of the Levitt Foundation,” announced via email.
“During the past four years, the Trenton Downtown Association has shown tremendous impact in the community through Levitt AMP, bringing people together of all ages and backgrounds through the power of free live music, while creating a meaningful community gathering space in the state capital’s historic downtown core. We’re proud to continue our support of this inspiring community.”
Trenton Downtown Association Executive Director Tom Gilmour underscored the advantages of multi-year funding.
“The multi-year grant provides us a new opportunity to leverage our success and continue to host this amazing event in the heart of downtown Trenton for three more years. Thank you to the hundreds of individuals and sponsors who make this happen,” Gilmour said.
“The TDA is extremely grateful and very excited to have the Levitt Foundation recognize Trenton with this incredible opportunity. The Levitt AMP Trenton Music Series has been a platform that has created families of attendees, staff and volunteers from within the community to come together every Thursday evening in the summer. We are thrilled to see this journey unfold with our partners and presenting sponsors from the beginning, the City of Trenton, New Jersey Manufacturers and New Jersey State Council on the Arts.”
Trenton will receive funding through 2021 and therefore will not participate in the Levitt AMP online voting process, which opened earlier today at http://levittamp. org and ends at 5:00 pm PST on November 20, 2018. The 2019 Levitt AMP Grant Award winners will be announced on December 18, 2018.
Gilmour said TDA can begin planning for three years of concerts.
“In the past, we had to wait until vote came in which presented some issues in regards to raising money for support. Earning this award, even for individual years is difficult to pull off,” Gilmour noted.
“Knowing that we have three years means we can fill in dates for 30 concerts. We may find a band that has no availability next year but can play in 2020. So, we have some leeway and freedom. This is significant news from a marketing perspective. We feel honored and thankful for all the residents who support our goals and the people who recognized our efforts.”