About this project
Based on the wildly successful BBC television show, Don't Stop the Music USA will highlight the critical importance of music education, expose American students to music in new and exciting ways, and then collect, refurbish and distribute 50,000 instruments to support the education of over 250,000 students and educators nationwide.
THE WHAT:
Don’t Stop The Music is about both big ideas and little gestures: it celebrates the art and passion of music; the giving spirit of Americans; the dreams of children and the importance of empowering students with the proper tools to chase their dreams. This transformational television event will entertain, inform and uplift as it makes sure that music education stays ingrained in the classrooms and culture of America.
The film will feature stories unique to a genre of American music and a city that is its home; these tales may focus on the history of the instruments, the musicians participating in this effort, the surprising experiences put together for the students, or the ways in which music education influenced America’s leaders.The content will ignite an interest in music education with students and educators alike, and the instruments collected will enable dreams to become reality.The event’s finale will be a televised all-star concert at a notable venue (e.g., the White House or Carnegie Hall) featuring children playing their new instruments alongside world renowned musicians.
THE HOW:
100% of the money we collect from this campaign will be used to fund the tools – including a widely distributed pilot reel, commitments from talent, marketing materials and more – that will enable us to seek full funding for this wide-ranging project, including production of the TV series, concert and nationwide instrument drive. In short, the $50,000 we raise here will be a springboard to the full funding needed to achieve our goals.
THE WHY:
Imagine if Beyonce's high school had eliminated its music program because of budget cuts, or teenage Bruce Springsteen had not been able to access a guitar. This is the reality for large numbers of students in the US (most recently in Atlanta, which had to essentially eliminate its music education program) who are growing up without being exposed to essential education, or who can dream about, but not get their hands on, the tools necessary for learning.
The value of music education extends well beyond any student's potential for stardom. Music increases understanding of other subjects, such as math, science, and foreign language. Students who have music education have higher grades overall and are less likely to be involved in bullying. Schools with a music program have graduation rates nearly 20 percent higher than schools without. Although music is often seen as a luxury item, its absence from the curriculum is disastrous for America’s children. Don’t Stop the Music is devoted to ensuring that music education remains a part of the American curriculum.
THE TEAM:
Risks and challenges
The biggest risk is NOT drawing attention to this important issue. There is no risk regarding award fulfillment, provided the film goes to production. By seeking only this seed money now (and not a full production budget) we cannot guarantee that this version of this film will come to fruition. However, we are confident that this $50,000 will equip us with the talent, resources and materials needed to enter full production and come out the other side with a killer film, an expanded instrument collection drive, a star-studded live event and having bettered the state of music education in America. You can minimize the risk of failure by spreading the word about this cause, this Kickstarter, and this project. Thank you for your support!
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Funding period
- (45 days)