Dear Industry Leaders,
Last year, the Black Music Action Coalition and the Academy of Country Music teamed up to launch OnRamp, a new initiative designed to create financial empowerment and access to the music industry for young black creatives and industry executives, giving them a year of guaranteed income and a menu of mentoring services from music industry leaders.
Following the success of the OnRamp program, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame joined with BMAC to continue this important work and support both young women and black creatives and industry professionals in pursuit of careers as musicians, songwriters, producers and executives .
The program helps young creatives with basic needs like rent, utilities, and food, as well as opening the door to previously challenging activities like studio time, travel for shows or networking opportunities, marketing, and even legal services. It also provides mentorship focused on improving participation and equity in music and empowers the next generation of leaders in the early stages of their careers by providing access to professional development opportunities, mentoring and industry exposure. BMAC will facilitate the program as well as document and follow the journeys of the artists and young professionals as they share their stories of success and triumph from the year of empowerment.
After reviewing applications in 2023, BMAC selected 20 female and black emerging creatives for the program. We are currently fundraising to launch the program during Black Music Month in June.
As we are all too aware of the incredible contributions that women and black creatives continue to make to the growth of our industry, we see the BMAC Music Maker Guaranteed Income and Mentoring Program as a valuable long-term partner that will provide a structured system that will open up doors and train the next generation of creatives and executives in the music industry. We're asking you to become a launch partner with us in this important initiative so we can build the true scale needed to open the doors to future creators and leaders in our industry.
As part of Grammy Week 2024, BMAC co-founder and president/CEO Willie “Prophet” Stigers hosted John Sykes, president of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. Michael Tubbs, founder of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income. Maura Cuffie-Peterson, director of guaranteed income strategic initiatives for Creatives Rebuild New York; and Advertising sign editorial director Hannah Karp for an economic justice summit at UTA to mobilize the music industry to take action.
We are now looking to the industry and our partners to donate to this initiative. We would greatly appreciate your support.
WILLIE “PROPHET” STIGGERSCo-founder and president/CEO Black Music Action Coalition
HANNAH KARPEditorial Director Advertising sign
JOHN SYKESPresident Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation
IRVING AZOFFPresident/CEO The Azoff Company
ROB LIGHTManaging Partner/Head of Global Music CAA
To support this program, visit bmacoalition.org/halloffame.
This story originally appeared in the March 9, 2024 issue Advertising sign.
