New Nonprofit Dedicated To Preserving The Vibrant Music Scene And Community In Austin
AUSTIN, TX (April 7, 2016) – The Clifford Antone Foundation is excited to announce its official launch date of April 7th. The local nonprofit is dedicated to preserving Austin’s beloved blues and music culture with annual memberships now being accepted at www.CliffordAntoneFoundation.org. Mission objectives for the nonprofit are two-fold: honoring the past and investing in the future.
To preserve the legacy of Austin musicians and to provide support to the city’s older performers, the nonprofit will help facilitate safety and care for elderly members of Austin’s storied music history, while honoring the cultural contributions from the elders of the Austin music scene. The Clifford Antone Foundation will also preserve and archive blues and other musical and cultural artifacts to help ensure that generations to come have access to Austin’s fabled past.
Additionally, in order to truly invest in the future of Austin’s music culture, the foundation will help to nurture, mentor, and educate both at-risk and underprivileged youths as well as up-and-coming artists. Overall, these efforts will encompass and bring together all residents of the city’s music community –from elder musicians to aspiring youth who hope to become the next crop of great Austin performers.
“The board and I could not be more excited about the official kick off of the Clifford Antone Foundation,” says Susan Antone, President of the Foundation’s Board of Directors and sister to the organization’s namesake, Clifford Antone. “We all have a very real and personal connection to Clifford and our team can’t imagine a better way to represent him than by supporting the local community, particularly youths and our elders, and ensuring the Austin music scene continues to thrive for generations to come.”
To accomplish the Clifford Antone Foundation’s mission, the organization will take on a venture philanthropy approach and work closely with existing charities that are already pursuing the Foundation’s core objectives. Organizations initially selected for grants and support include Housing Opportunities for Musicians and Entertainers (HOME); Kids in a New Groove; American Youthworks; and the Pinetop Perkins Foundation.
Other goals for the Foundation include creating a Clifford Antone memorial statue and curating a “40 Years of Antone’s” memorabilia exhibit that can travel to various museums and festivals across the country to raise awareness about the organization’s cause.
In support of the organization’s launch, The Clifford Antone Foundation is now rolling out its official membership campaign. Annual memberships are comprised of a $1,000 tax-deductible commitment to the Foundation, which hopes to garner 300 new members in its first year. Benefits for members will include receiving quarterly newsletters to keep abreast of the impact they’re making in the community, as well as member’s choice of a Clifford Antone Foundation hat or t-shirt to show their support. The group also plans to host two special events each year – one in the fall and another in the spring – that will be exclusive to members only. Interested patrons can visit www.CliffordAntoneFoundation.org to apply online or email the foundation directly at info@CliffordAntoneFoundation.org
To stay up to date on all news and events surrounding the Clifford Antone Foundation, make sure to follow the Foundation online at www.CliffordAntoneFoundation.org, as well as on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CliffordAntoneFoundation, on Twitter at @Clifford_Antone, and on Instagram at @CliffordAntoneFoundation.
