The Association of Musicians Producers has just unveiled the details of its new scholarship program, launched in partnership with Save the Music Foundation. Dubbed “AMP x Save The Music Scholarship,” the program will help welcome up to five talented students from underrepresented communities into the advertising music industry. The students chosen to receive the scholarships will receive music production equipment, music production courses at the prestigious Berklee School of Music, résumé help and an advertising music internship.
Creating the scholarship and defining its goals and objectives has been a major undertaking of AMP’s D&I committee this year, and seeing it finally come to fruition has been a major achievement, according to committee members.
The scholarship was first announced on stage at Sony Hall by Save the Music’s executive director Henry Donahue during the 2022 AMP Awards for Music & Sound in May. He joined then AMP president Georg Bissen of MetaTechnik, to thank AMP for its support and to highlight the ways Save The Music Foundation continues working to deliver equitable access to music education for millions of students nationwide.
“Our industry needs your contribution to make this initiative a true reality,” said current AMP National Board president Carol Dunn of Human. “We want to urge our members, our clients, our peers and colleagues across the advertising spectrum to do what they can to help get this amazing effort off the ground and make it a success.”
“Our students really benefit when they gain visibility and knowledge about career choices in the music industry beyond the stage,” said Donahue. “AMP has created a very thoughtful and unique scholarship opportunity for young creatives to experience the world of music for advertising , sonic branding and more. We’re excited to be a part of it!”
“Our group has become much more vigilant about increasing diversity within the advertising music industry, which is something we truly need to grow as a community,” said Jennie Armon of Found Objects Music Productions. “Diversity truly impacts all of us for the better; it makes our culture richer and provides alternative histories that contribute to bringing our music to life. With this fundraising effort, we’re truly putting our money where our mouths are and making that happen, erasing barriers of access. It’s an honor to be a part of something so historic and impactful for our futures — improving this landscape for all of our industry !”
“The biggest barrier to solving diversity issues is figuring out just what we can do,” added Adrian Womack of Racket Club. “When we decided to act on establishing this scholarship, my heart lit up with hope. As a Black person in advertising, it’s been programs like this that got me where I am today. So it's exciting to get to pay it forward by helping to build something for this niche in the industry that will hopefully give someone else similar exposure and opportunities that I was given.”
“A lot of folks talk about wanting to increase diversity within their respective fields, but often don’t know how,” noted Craig Caniglia of Human. “The solution is never simple, but access and opportunity – or lack of access and opportunity – has been a huge barrier to change in the past. With this scholarship, AMP hopes help solve that part of the problem for BIPOC students who may not even be aware that our profession exists – let alone know how to get a foot in the door.”
The AMP x Save The Music Scholarship program will get fully underway in the new year, with the launch of an online application system that will be shared with schools nationwide. Interested students will have until late March to submit applications and Armon notes. Each and every one will be evaluated by AMP’s D&I committee, with up to five rewarding students chosen for the inaugural year.
To make a donation to the AMP x Save The Music Scholarship fund, click here. Contributions are fully tax deductible.
