The Levitt AMP Grant Awards is an exciting matching grant program made possible by the Mortimer and Mimi Levitt Foundation, a national creative place-making funder dedicated to strengthening the social fabric of America through the power of free music. With Levitt AMP, the joy of live music is bringing communities together in small and mid-sized towns and cities across the country.
While Levitt’s program of permanent outdoor music venues, each presenting 50+ free concerts annually, is tailored to large metro areas with populations of over 400,000 (due to financial sustainability and audience development considerations), the Levitt AMP Grant Awards are specifically designed to meet the needs and capacity of small to mid-sized towns and cities.
Since 2015, the Levitt Foundation has awarded more than $2.3 million total to 38 communities across America through the Levitt AMP grant program.
Amplify
Music
Place
Partners:
Downtown Springfield Heritage Foundation
Downtown Springfield, Inc.
Springfield Area Arts Council
City of Springfield
Springfield Park District
The Levitt Foundation
Levitt AMP Springfield Music Series postponed to 2021
The 2020 season of the Levitt AMP Springfield concert series has been postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
The first season of these free local concerts were held in Springfield’s historic Y Block in Summer 2019. Local organizations, businesses, and individuals partnered to produce ten concerts which were attended by more than 7,700 people.
Downtown Springfield Heritage Foundation was to present the second Levitt AMP Springfield Music Series, furthering the renewal of an under-used space in Springfield’s historic business district. The 2020 series aimed to expand outreach to Springfield’s under-served communities and foster meaningful connections through interactive on-site experiences.
The decision to postpone the season was made in consultation with the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, which provides a matching grant for the series. Springfield’s organizing committee is working on putting together its application for a Levitt Foundation 2020 bridge grant created in response to the pandemic. The grants of $5,000 can be used by Levitt AMP communities to keep building community in 2020.
“While for now the show must not go on, we eagerly anticipate the opportunity to gather safely once again to experience the joy of free, live music in the heart of our town,” said Sheila Walk, Executive Director of the Springfield Area Arts Council.
The Springfield-based trio The Deep Hollow (Micah Walk, Elizabeth Eckert, and Dave Littrell) will be featured in the National Levitt AMP Virtual Music Series on July 24. Concerts in the series will take place online twice a week from June 1 thru August 28, 2020.
Please visit the Levitt AMP website for more information about the concert series.