Handmade Music School Giving Tuesday 2024

Handmade Music School 
2024 Giving Tuesday Campaign

The Handmade Music School in Floyd, Virginia, strives to cultivate and strengthen community through experiences in music and dance rooted in our Appalachian traditions. We envision thriving communities that connect through place-based traditions and are asking for your support this Giving Tuesday 2024 as we deepen and expand our programming with this north star in mind. 

Your donations will fund operations for the Handmade Music School, provide support for our weekly Youth Stringband Program and Youth Get Together summer camps, and will help support our Share The Music Scholarship Fund.  Your donations will help support our team in building upon existing opportunities and creating new vibrant music and dance opportunities. It's our mission to welcome everyone into the Handmade Music School community without finances getting in the way, and also to support the musicians and teachers that make these opportunities possible. 

In addition to youth programming at HMS, we are designed to serve everyone from 0 - 100 and currently have programming that serves all of these ages from Joy Jammers to our Harmonic Heritage project, we love to invite people into our circle of learning and we provide scholarships for all ages and people from our community and around the world.

About HMS Youth Programming:

Engaging young people is vital in preserving the future of these beautiful traditions and creating sustainable community. We are dedicated to creating opportunities for young people and their families to engage during and after their school day and throughout the week while making these opportunities accessible to all. This currently happens through private lessons, recurring classes, workshops, camps, presentations, and community jams as well as regular performance opportunities. Our annual summer camps are an incredible opportunity for youth to take a deep dive into traditional music and dance, while developing an understanding of local culture and Appalachian traditions through hands-on experiences. Through consistent guided engagement with community members and mentors, we demonstrate the importance of community, mentorship, and lasting friendships while students develop their own connection to these traditions and share their own blossoming and unique skills. 

• Our Youth Get Together Camp has doubled in capacity in the last year to serve our community and will continue our mission of ensuring that the next generation gets to experience the community and joy found in our traditional music and dance.

• Our Handmade Youth Stringband program is currently underway and thriving. This semester-long, weekly group music class for musicians ages 7-18 has been well attended and we are excited to continue to build on this programming.

• The Share The Music Scholarship Fund was created to further the goal of HMS to make all of our programming available and accessible to all area youth, and the greater community regardless of means. 

Your generous support during this Giving Tuesday Campaign will help us to continue these programs and to celebrate and support our Appalachian culture and traditions.

THANK YOU!!