NASHVILLE (CelebrityAccess) – The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM) announced Tuesday (February 21) a partnership to launch OnRamp, a guaranteed income program for Black artists and industry professionals in Nashville, TN.
OnRamp will guarantee income for 20 young, Black members of the music community, including artists and industry professionals within Nashville. The OnRamp program focused on improving inclusivity and equity within Music City and aims to empower the next generation of leaders in the early stages of their careers by granting access to professional development opportunities, community mentorship, and other potential opportunities to increase personal growth, industry exposure, exclusive Academy membership panels, and tentpole live events, and visibility with Academy Board members and industry leaders. Through the program, each participant will receive a $1,000 monthly stipend for one year.
OnRamp applications will be available in late Spring with the program kicking off in June, in celebration of Black Music Month and to commemorate BMAC’s 3rd anniversary. Please see acmcountry.com/onramp for more information.
“It speaks volumes for the Black Music Action Coalition and the Academy of Country Music to join forces to launch a guaranteed income program in Nashville for emerging Black artists and young professionals. I applaud Damon Whiteside, the ACM Board, and the Level Up team for sharing our vision and becoming true partners with BMAC on a direct impact solution that will begin to address long-standing racial inequalities that exist in this country,” said Willie “Prophet” Stiggers, co-founder/co-chair Black Music Action Coalition.
“The Academy has a rich history of fostering diversity and inclusion in the Country Music industry both on stage and behind the scenes, and we see this partnership as a particularly impactful way to continue our committed work to making the statement ‘Country Music is for Everyone’ a true reality,” said ACM CEO Damon Whiteside. “We’re excited to work with BMAC on this pivotal and transformative work for our Nashville community by increasing opportunities for young professionals from diverse backgrounds in our industry.”
This inaugural program will initially be funded by BMAC, ACM, and industry partners, and powered by the social impact agency BreatheWithMe. The organizations are encouraging corporations and companies operating in Music City and beyond to make a financial contribution to OnRamp as a means of powering their future equity and inclusion programs. OnRamp is one of many guaranteed income programs BMAC will be announcing throughout the year.
Playing an active role in guiding the OnRamp program and bringing it to life will be the members of the ACM LEVel Up: Lift Every Voice program. ACM LEVel Up is a Nashville-based professional development and enrichment program for rising leaders in Country Music, funded entirely by the ACM at no cost to participants. The two-year curriculum is designed to empower participants to play a pivotal role in expanding the horizons of Country Music into new audiences that transcend demographics and geography.
