Music Impact Coalition Deploys $3M+ Grant to North Carolina Public Schools

Let Music Fill My World, along with more than 20+ of the nation’s top music and arts foundations and organizations, have aligned on a shared mission: ensuring every student in America has access to high-quality music and arts education, regardless of circumstance, location, or resources. Known as the Music Impact Coalition (MIC), the initiative will kick off in North Carolina with a $2 million grant from The Tullman Family Office and $1 million from The Enlight Foundation. The effort will test scalable models for equitable music and arts education in public schools to remove barriers to access and participation nationwide.

MIC selected North Carolina as the pilot market after Coalition members evaluated where program implementation would yield the most impactful, actionable insights for a scalable national model. The state offers a various, representative cohort spanning eight distinct school districts across mountain communities, agricultural regions, small cities, suburban areas, and major urban centers. Its rich music and arts legacy — from Blue Ridge bluegrass and Piedmont blues to traditional folk, indie, and hip-hop —, provides a vibrant environment for creative learning. Paired with various economic conditions and regional growth dynamics, this landscape gives the coalition an opportunity to understand what works in different settings and build a framework that can adapt to public school systems nationwide. 

The eight North Carolina school districts covered include Buncombe County Schools, Newton-Conover City Schools, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, Chatham County Schools, Cumberland County Schools, Pitt County Schools, Wayne County Public Schools, and an additional district to be confirmed.

MIC leadership will convene in North Carolina on October 15th and 16th to launch the strategic grantmaking process in coordination with school districts, state partners, and educators. Using initial findings from Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation’s data assessments and insights, the Coalition, along with funders and state, district, and local-level partners, will establish clear priorities and actionable pathways for music and arts education grounded in efficacy and sustainability.  

Coalition members include Adopt the Arts, Americans for the Arts, Artist For Artist®, Arts Education Partnership, CMA Foundation, Creating Abundance Collaborative, D’Addario Foundation, Duke University, Education Through Music, Enlight Foundation, Give a Note Foundation, GRAMMY Museum®, Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts, The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, Let Music Fill My World, Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, Music Will, NAMM Foundation, National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, National Association for Music Education, NORC, Save The Music, the Recording Academy®, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, and Tullman Family Office.

Key state partners supporting the initiative in North Carolina include the North Carolina Arts Council, the NC Department of Public Instruction, Arts North Carolina, and the North Carolina Music Educators Association.

“As AI reshapes how we live and work, we need to rethink what young people require from their education,” said Cayley Tull, President of the Tullman Family Office. “Our future leaders need opportunities to imagine, create, collaborate, and connect with others. Music and the arts give young people space to develop those abilities, discover their own voices, and build a sense of belonging. Through the Music Impact Coalition, we’re working to ensure every young person has access to the creative experiences that will help them thrive in their communities, in the workforce, and throughout their lives.”

“Prioritizing youth mental well-being is one of the most vital investments we can make today,” says Xin Liu, Founder of Enlight Foundation. “Music and the arts offer young people a safe haven to express themselves, build confidence, and foster meaningful connections. They create essential pathways for youth to thrive. We hope more funders will join forces with MIC!”

Research suggests that expanding students’ access to arts education can support a range of academic, behavioral, and social-emotional outcomes.

• In one study of increased access to arts education (Bowen & Kisida, 2019), students experienced 36% fewer disciplinary incidents, along with improvements in writing achievement and their compassion for others compared to their peers who did not receive the same increase in arts learning opportunities.
• Students with greater access to arts education also reported greater empathy and concern for others. These students reported being more likely to care about how others feel and to want to help people who are treated unfairly.
• Greater exposure to arts education for elementary school students was associated with higher levels of school engagement and stronger college aspirations. They were also more likely to report that schoolwork was enjoyable, encouraged new ways of thinking, and offered activities that kept them interested and motivated.

In short, expanding access to arts education doesn’t just enrich learning — it can strengthen students academically, improve behavior, and help build more empathetic, engaged young people.