{"id":452347,"date":"2025-06-09T10:03:27","date_gmt":"2025-06-09T14:03:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newmusicusa.org\/?post_type=nmusa_news&p=452347"},"modified":"2025-06-09T12:51:41","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T16:51:41","slug":"creator-fund-2025","status":"publish","type":"nmusa_news","link":"https:\/\/newmusicusa.org\/newsroom\/creator-fund-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"New Music USA Announces 2025 Creator Fund Awardees"},"content":{"rendered":"

Total of $224,000 Awarded to 62 Creators from the South, West, and New York<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Inaugural Thea Musgrave Performer \u2013 Composer Collaboration Grant Awarded to Zachary Mowitz and Juantio Becenti<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

New Music USA is thrilled to announce the selection of 62 grantees<\/strong> for the New Music Creator Fund, which offers grants to individual music creators working in any genre to reach the next stage of their creative practice. Totaling <\/span>$224,000<\/span><\/b> in funding across 14 states,<\/strong> this year\u2019s awards support a range of activities that span the musical spectrum, with collaboration around new music creation as a central element.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The inaugural <\/span>Thea Musgrave Performer \u2013 Composer Collaboration Grant<\/span><\/b><\/a> is awarded to Los Angeles-based cellist <\/span>Zachary Mowitz <\/span><\/b>and composer <\/span>Juantio Becenti. <\/span><\/b>Mowitz will commission a new work by Becenti for his ensemble, Nodality Music, that addresses the environmental injustices faced by Becenti\u2019s Din\u00e9 (Navajo) community, with a special focus on land justice and clean water access. Their $10,000 grant, made possible through the endowed gift of esteemed composer Thea Musgrave and her husband, renowned opera director Peter Mark, will support the commissioning of the work as well as dedicated workshop time between Becenti and the performers to enhance the strength of their collaboration.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In alignment with the Creator Fund\u2019s new regional focus,\u00a0this year\u2019s program was open to music creators based in the South, West, and New York. Next year\u2019s program will be open to creators based in the Northeast\/Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and New York. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The 2025 grantees, who represent 14 states, reflect a broad range of perspectives and styles and exemplify the expansive ecosystem for new music that New Music USA is dedicated to supporting.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Creator Fund grants will support costs that relate to the development of new and existing ideas and projects, collaboration with other artists and practitioners, and any activities that help creators realize their goals, including childcare costs, technical assistance\/skills building, and more.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

See the full list of awardees below and on the <\/span>New Music Creator Fund Program Page,<\/span><\/b><\/a> and discover their work on these playlists:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2025 Creator Fund Spotify Playlist<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2025 Creator Fund YouTube Playlist<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

New Music USA is committed to making all its grant programs equitable, by removing barriers in the application process and by elevating all artists and organizations that receive our support.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Creator Fund applicants are given straightforward guidelines and are asked to supply a brief project description (either written or video recorded) and work samples.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Applications are reviewed by a pool of independent peers from our community. For this round, which attracted 475 applications, New Music USA engaged 36 artists, composers, musicians, and administrators from locations around the country to serve on a single-stage application review panel.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Scott Winship, New Music USA\u2019s Interim Co-Executive Director and Director of Grantmaking Programs, says:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are proud of our continued support of individual music creators and their collaborators, helping them bring their musical ideas to life. The high quality of the work being done by this year\u2019s Creator Fund awardees and applicants reinforces the extraordinary breadth and strength of the new music community. Our move to regional application cycles allows us to deepen the impact of the program in each area, helping us to more strategically expand our national reach. Congratulations to this year\u2019s awardees!\u201d <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Los Angeles-based awardee Zachary Mowitz, one of the inaugural recipients of The Thea Musgrave Performer-Composer Collaboration Grant, adds: <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo often composers are expected to simply deliver the parts while the performers are expected to just make it happen with however many rehearsals they\u2019ve been allotted. It makes all the difference, though, when you can spend meaningful time with the composer from conception through performance. This grant allows us to do just that with Tio, and furthermore it will help us set a collaborative model for the rest of Nodality Music\u2019s Climate Commissions. Thank you, Thea and Peter, for providing the means to bring Tio\u2019s new work to the world in the most inspired and impactful way possible!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rashaan Barber, an awardee based in Chapel Hill, NC shares:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI’m incredibly excited to produce my first recorded venture (as a bandleader) into the world of funk and to do so in tribute to Maceo Parker, a legendary saxophonist I’ve admired since first becoming aware of his contributions as a bandleader and sideman with countless incredible artists. The funds will be used to pay studio and musician costs, and the project will feature musicians who, like Parker, either hail from North Carolina or reside in the state.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

New York-based awardee Aaron Helgeson says:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/i>Big ideas need adventurous partners like New Music USA. When The Crossing and I first started work on \u2018The Book of Never\u2019 in 2017, we didn’t know its themes of political exile and religious persecution in Ukraine and beyond would become more and more prescient as the creative process unfolded over years of war, conspiracy, and censorship. The Creator Fund allows us to present this work in a moment of heartbreaking relevance at home and abroad.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2025 New Music Creator Fund Awardees<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thea Musgrave Performer-Composer Collaboration Grant:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Zachary Mowitz (Los Angeles, CA) & Juantio Becenti<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

New York:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aaron Helgeson (New York, NY)<\/span>
\nAdriana Vergara (New York, NY)<\/span>
\nAnahita Abbasi (New York, NY)<\/span>
\nAnnea Lookwood & Nate Wooley (Crompond, NY)<\/span>
\nAnton\u00edn Fajt (Queens, NY)<\/span>
\nBerta Moreno (New York, NY)<\/span>
\nCeleste Oram (New York, NY)<\/span>
\nCharles Rudig (Brooklyn, NY)<\/span>
\nDavid First (Brooklyn, NY)<\/span>
\nElizabeth Kate (Brooklyn, NY)<\/span>
\nEvis Sammoutis (Ithaca, NY)<\/span>
\nFrankie Leroux (Astoria, NY)<\/span>
\nJane Ira Bloom (New York, NY)<\/span>
\nJeong Lim Yang (Brooklyn, NY)<\/span>
\nJulia Rocha-Nava (Brooklyn, NY)<\/span>
\nJustine F. Chen (New York, NY)<\/span>
\nKelly Schenk (Brooklyn, NY)<\/span>
\nLayale Chaker (Brooklyn, NY)<\/span>
\nLea Bertucci (Kingston, NY)<\/span>
\nLucas Tahiruzzama (Astoria, NY)<\/span>
\nMajid Khaliq (Bronx, NY)<\/span>
\nMelvis Santa (Brooklyn, NY)<\/span>
\nSahara von Hattenberger (New York, NY)<\/span>
\nSam Friedman (Astoria, NY)<\/span>
\nSam Kogon (Larchmont, NY)<\/span>
\nSarah Overton (Brooklyn, NY)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

South:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Alfred Yun (Centreville, VA)<\/span>
\nAmi Dang (Baltimore, MD)<\/span>
\nBrent Gossett (Baltimore, MD)<\/span>
\nCrystal Autumn (Stone Mountain, GA)<\/span>
\nEric Hirsh (Durham, NC)<\/span>
\nEsther Reina (Bentonville, AR)<\/span>
\nMichael Gancz (Rockville, MD)<\/span>
\nKayla Verse (Newnan, GA)<\/span>
\nMichael J. Hall (Ridgeland, MI)<\/span>
\nMonica Shriver (Antioch, TN)<\/span>
\nMorayo Orekoya (Arlington, TX)<\/span>
\nNick Finzer (Denton, TX)<\/span>
\nRahsaan Barber (Chapel Hill, NC)<\/span>
\nSofia Goodman (Smyrna, TN)<\/span>
\nSomalia (Brookhaven, GA)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

West:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Andrew Tholl (Studio City, CA)<\/span>
\nAndrew A. Watts (Solvang, CA)<\/span>
\nAngelo Velasquez (Camarillo, CA)<\/span>
\nHovia Edwards (Pocatello, ID)<\/span>
\nIgor Santos (Claremont, CA)<\/span>
\nJ.R. Rhodes (Seattle, WA)<\/span>
\nJoseph Bohigian (Berkeley, CA)<\/span>
\nJosiah Tayag Catalan (Sacramento, CA)<\/span>
\nKaren Joyce (Pasadena, CA)<\/span>
\nKiazi Malonga (Oakland, CA)<\/span>
\nLeilehua Lanzilotti & brooke smiley (Honolulu, HI)<\/span>
\nMatthew Holmes (Portland, OR)<\/span>
\nMelanie DeMore (Oakland, CA)<\/span>
\nMina Choi (Fullerton, CA)<\/span>
\nRichard An & Gillian Rae Perry (Pasadena, CA)<\/span>
\nSan Cha (Alhambra, CA)<\/span>
\nSanaya Ardeshir (Sandunes) (Los Angeles, CA)<\/span>
\nSHE MONSTER (Altadena, CA)<\/span>
\nTakuma Itoh (Honolulu, HI)<\/span>
\nWilliam Roper (Altadena, CA)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Total of $224,000 Awarded to 62 Creators from the South, West, and New York\u00a0 Inaugural Thea Musgrave Performer \u2013 Composer Collaboration Grant Awarded to Zachary Mowitz and Juantio Becenti\u00a0 New Music USA is thrilled to announce the selection of 62 grantees for the New Music Creator Fund, which offers grants to individual music creators working… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":452401,"template":"","class_list":["post-452347","nmusa_news","type-nmusa_news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nNew Music USA Announces 2025 Creator Fund Awardees - New Music USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/newmusicusa.org\/newsroom\/creator-fund-2025\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"New Music USA Announces 2025 Creator Fund Awardees - New Music USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Total of $224,000 Awarded to 62 Creators from the South, West, and New York\u00a0 Inaugural Thea Musgrave Performer \u2013 Composer Collaboration Grant Awarded to Zachary Mowitz and Juantio Becenti\u00a0 New Music USA is thrilled to announce the selection of 62 grantees for the New Music Creator Fund, which offers grants to individual music creators working... 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