Big Heavy World Receives IMLS Grant Award
Above: The '...will you sing?' COVID-19 commemorative mural at Big Heavy World. Photo by Luke Awtry Photography. Download in high resolution.
BURLINGTON VT October 26, 2021: The Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS) has awarded Big Heavy World a grant in support of its work to archive Vermont-made music and build community around it. The IMLS American Rescue Plan Grants Program supports museum and library services in addressing community needs created or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and in assisting with recovery.
The IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. It advances, supports, and empowers America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. The IMLS vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov, or follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/USIMLS and Twitter https://twitter.com/us_imls.
With the $28,748 grant, Big Heavy World will address pandemic impacts on Vermont’s music community by expanding interest and participation in local cultural heritage. Access to the collection of its Tiny Museum of Vermont Music History will improve with expanded hours and virtualization and an online catalogue of its expansive Vermont music library will be developed for public access. The organization will establish a local LoLa node, creating opportunities for Vermont musicians to perform collaboratively in real time — without a lag in network transmission — with the musicians of other cities. These programs will help community members participate in the museum’s research, preservation, development, and outreach work.
James Lockridge, Executive Director of Big Heavy World, said, “Vermonters are a deep spring of musical talent and cultural heritage. Big Heavy World is honored to play a role in promoting and preserving it. The capacity provided by this grant helps us — and Vermont — reach a next level of quality in recognizing, representing and serving our arts community in a time of recovery.”
This year the IMLS received 572 applications to the program, requesting $22,840,028. Of these, the IMLS made 390 awards totaling $15,255,733 including 260 to museums, 101 to libraries, and 29 to Federally Recognized Tribes and nonprofit organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians. IMLS’s peer reviewers evaluated all eligible and complete grant applications, assessing the merit of each proposal and its fit with the goals of the grant program. IMLS staff presented this information to the IMLS Director, who then made the final funding decisions.
"As pillars of our communities, libraries and museums bring people together by providing important programs, services, and collections. These institutions are trusted spaces where people can learn, explore and grow,” said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. “IMLS is proud to support their initiatives through our grants as they educate and enhance their communities."
Big Heavy World is an independent nonprofit music development office established to archive and promote the original music of Vermont. With a crew of volunteers it publishes information about Vermont’s music industry, archives thousands of Vermont-made recordings, photographs and artifacts, and operates 105.9FM, a radio station highlighting the region’s creative community. It hosts the weekly ‘Rocket Shop local music radio hour and podcast that has featured ~700 Vermont-based artists. In 2020 Big Heavy World was recognized as ‘Best Global Music Office’ by an international Music Cities jury. The organization is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2021. For more, visit bigheavyworld.com
High-resolution images are available at https://bigheavyworld.com/press-images
Contact James Lockridge, jim@bigheavyworld.com; (802) 865-1140.
