View or download the application here: American Song Initiative Application

American Song Initiative Description and Guidelines:

Mission: The Hampsong Foundation is dedicated to providing support for singers with an interest in American classic art song.

Maximum funding available: $1,500 or 1,000 € per project

Current deadline: Rolling

Description: The American Song Initiative provides small grants, on a rolling basis, for projects in American classic song that have both a scholarly and performance element. A winning project will use American classic art song (also defined as poetry set to music) to tell a larger narrative in history, culture, literature, and/or the visual arts. Classic art song from other cultures may be incorporated, but the central focus should remain on American song. Projects that use new technology to present and/or disseminate the content of the project (i.e. recordings, visual, and/or textual materials) are encouraged. Multimedia projects, projects involving a website or web-based platform, or projects using another more experimental technological element (such as an iBook or smartphone application) will be given priority. Priority will also be given to smaller projects whose entire budget falls within the $1,500 (or less) range. In return, funded projects must submit textual, audio, video, and/or other technology-based interactive materials to the Hampsong Foundation, when the project is finished, to be used for educational and non-profit purposes, and without monetary remuneration. The materials, as well as awardees, will be featured on the website of the Hampsong Foundation, located at http://hampsongfoundation.org.

Funding may be used for expenses such as:
-equipment rental & technology related costs
-professional recording
-rental of performance space, piano, musical scores, etc.
-research & securing copyrighted material (including musical scores)
-travel costs
-performer & scholar fees
-other expenses directly related to the project

Example Projects:
-a song recital in a museum or historic place, with a program curated in relation to an element of that space, special exhibit, or event
-a performance with a strong lecture component, involving multimedia materials, or accompanied by substantial program notes
-the creation of an iBook, application or web-based platform (such as a blog) on a specific topic using audio, video and textual materials from a live performance

You can view examples of projects that explore history and culture through classic song on the website of the Hampsong Foundation and learn more about American classic song on the Song of America database (http://www.songofamerica.net).

The Hampsong Foundation reserves the right to only fund projects fitting of the Foundation’s objectives and the objectives of the American Song Initiative. The Hampsong Foundation also reserves the right to alter the guidelines or instate a deadline for the American Song Initiative without notice.

Please check back often for the most updated version of the American Song Initiative guidelines.

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Last updated: 25 March 2013