Through our Artist Gives program, Newport Festivals Foundation gives every artist on the Newport Folk and Jazz lineups the opportunity to direct a grant to a music education nonprofit they care about.

This is our way of supporting and raising awareness for music education programs doing exceptional work across the country. Through this initiative, we have funded programs that bring music into prisons, provide guitars for veterans, offer music education for refugee and immigrant communities, and more.

Since 2018, our Artist Gives program has made 197 grants totaling $414,787. Here are just a few of our favorites:

Tyler Childers – Instruments for Kentucky

“With Tyler, after he became successful, he didn’t forget where he came from”

In 2023, Newport Festivals Foundation and Tyler Childers made a surprise visit to the high schools he attended as a teenager. NFF and Tyler’s Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund donated over $30,000 worth of instruments and gear to support their music education programs. A huge thank you to Tyler and Senora for understanding the importance of music education and for helping us build the next generation of musicians.

Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah – New Orleans Public Schools

Creating the next generation of musicians in the birthplace of jazz.

In 2019, we teamed up with Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah and Conn-Selmer Education to present a Master Class and donate $10,000 worth of instruments to McDonogh 35 High School, Christian’s alma mater. After a short performance and Q&A, students were invited on stage to jam – truly powerful to be in the birthplace of jazz, watching Christian engage and inspire the next generation of musicians.

To see a list of Gives by year, click the links below:

2024 ARTIST GIVES

2023 ARTIST GIVES 

2022 ARTIST GIVES 

2020 ARTIST GIVES 

2019 ARTIST GIVES