Levitt Foundation Announces 66 Grant Recipients to Present Free Outdoor Music Series Across the Country

Multi-year matching grants up to $120K awarded to 34 new and 32 returning nonprofits to activate underused public spaces and build community through the power of free, live music in 2026, 2027, and 2028

Funding partnerships with state agencies bring even more live music to Tennessee and Mississippi

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Levitt Foundation, a national social impact funder supporting the largest free outdoor concert series in America, today announced the largest number of Levitt Music Series grant recipients in its history—providing 66 communities with multi-year grants, up to $120K each. 

Levitt Music Series Grants are an exciting, multi-year matching grant program bringing the joy of free, live music to towns and cities across the country. Each Levitt Music Series location presents 7-10 free outdoor concerts per year, injecting new life into underused public spaces and creating joyous, inclusive community destinations. Reflecting the Foundation's commitment that all Levitt projects be community-driven, the top 50 finalists were selected through public voting in September 2025 (via online and text to vote). The Levitt Foundation then conducted a comprehensive review process of all finalists to determine the Levitt Music Series grant recipients.

The Levitt Foundation will be awarding over $7 million dollars over three years to the nonprofits presenting Levitt Music Series, supporting 34 new grantees and 32 returning grantees to bring free outdoor music to their communities in 2026, 2027, and 2028. Also new this grant cycle are funding partnerships with state agencies—in Tennessee and Mississippi—to bring even more free outdoor concerts to their communities.

"The Levitt Foundation is thrilled to announce the communities across the country receiving Levitt Music Series grants, and we congratulate all the new and returning Levitt grantees. We know from decades of supporting free concerts in public spaces how the power of free, live music brings friends, families, and neighbors of all ages and backgrounds together, strengthening the social fabric and economic vitality of communities," said Sharon Yazowski, President & CEO of the Levitt Foundation. "We are also excited that our partnerships with Tennessee and Mississippi are supporting additional communities in those states—a model we hope will inspire other states throughout our nation for future collaborations to bring free, outdoor concerts to their towns and cities."

Special Partnerships with Tennessee and Mississippi

Expanding the regional impact of the Levitt Music Series Grants, the Levitt Foundation has partnered with the State of Tennessee and the State of Mississippi for additional grants in those states.

Tennessee

In a first of its kind collaboration, the Levitt Foundation has partnered with the Tennessee Entertainment Commission, with support from the Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, to award six communities based in Tennessee with multi-year Levitt AMP matching grants, which will bring up to 180 free concerts across the state over three years.

"Tennessee has always been a place where creativity and innovation flourish. Building on our proud history and tradition of progress, we are expanding the state's entertainment sector and driving local economic growth and tourism thanks to this partnership with Levitt. This series will bring Tennesseans together to celebrate the extraordinary talent that defines our state," said Deputy Governor and Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter.

From Dyersburg on the western border to Maryville in the east, the six Tennessee Levitt AMP communities represent towns and cities from across the state. In addition to presenting artists hailing from around the nation and world, these music series will also feature award-winning performers and musicians drawn from the vibrant music communities of Tennessee.

Mississippi

The Levitt Foundation has also partnered with the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) to award a public art grant combined with a multi-year Levitt AMP matching grant to two Mississippi-based communities. Each will receive a MAC grant award to create a public art installation, with additional funds from MAC and the Levitt Foundation to activate their public art site through hosting an annual series of 10 free outdoor concerts in 2026, 2027, and 2028.

"Placemaking and public art bring life to places that are often looking for a creative spark to propel them forward," said David Lewis, Executive Director of the Mississippi Arts Commission. "Live music is one of many forms of public art. We are grateful for this groundbreaking and unique partnership with the Levitt Foundation to be able to provide a three-year concert series to two worthy Mississippi communities through our Public Art in Community Grant."

The MAC grants through this partnership will be funding two Levitt Music Series programs, in the cities of Vicksburg and Moss Point. As Mississippi is widely regarded as the birthplace of American music, each grantee will present concerts featuring genres from across the U.S. as well as those closer to home, including the blues and rock 'n' roll.

Meet the New 2026–2028 Levitt Music Series Grantees

View the list of returning Levitt Music Series grantees on our website .

The new 2026-2028 Levitt Music Series grantees reflect a microcosm of the nation, ranging from small towns with populations of less than 10,000 like Bath, Maine and Parkston, South Dakota, to medium-sized cities like Manchester, New Hampshire and Montgomery, Alabama to major metropolitan areas like Austin, Miami, and St. Louis. View the list of new Levitt Music Series grant recipients below.

New Levitt Music Series Grantees

Alachua, FL
Josh's Place

Austin, TX
The Long Center for the Performing Arts

Bath, ME
Chocolate Church Arts Center

Buffalo, NY
Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy

Caguas, PR
Bellas Artes Caguas

Columbia, SC
Koger Center for the Arts at the University of South Carolina

Dothan, AL
Art in Public Places

Jackson, MS
Downtown Jackson Partners

Manchester, NH
City Year New Hampshire

Miami, FL
Friends of The Underline

Minot, ND
Local Motives

Montgomery, AL
The King's Canvas Gallery and Studio

Oceanside, CA
Oceanside Cultural Arts Foundation

Parkston, SD
Parkston Commercial Club

Pasadena, CA
Pasadena Recreation and Parks Foundation

Scandia, MN
Scandia Heritage Alliance

Shreveport, LA
Shreveport Regional Arts Council

St. Louis, MO
Delmar Main Street Initiative

Statesville, NC
Iredell Statesville Community Enrichment Corporation

Tallahassee, FL
Council on Culture & Arts

Toledo, OH
ConnecToledo

Truth or Consequences, NM
MainStreet Truth or Consequences

Tulsa, OK
Historic Greenwood District Main Street

Twentynine Palms, CA
Basin Wide Foundation

Wichita, KS
Exploration Place

Wooster, OH
Wayne Center for the Arts

Tennessee AMP Grantees

Dyersburg, TN
Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce

Lawrenceburg, TN
Downtown Lawrenceburg

Loudon, TN
Loudon ALIVE

Maryville, TN
Downtown Maryville Alliance

McMinnville, TN
Main Street McMinnville

Shelbyville, TN
The Fly Arts Center

Mississippi AMP + Public Art in Community Grantees

Moss Point, MS 
Walter Anderson Museum of Art 

Vicksburg, MS
Heritage Guild of Vicksburg Warren County

About Levitt Music Series Grants

From rural communities with populations of less than 2,000 to our nation's largest cities and metro areas, Levitt Music Series reach a broad range of communities across America, presenting seasoned, award-winning artists to acclaimed, emerging talent in a wide array of music genres, spanning pop, rock, folk, World music, country, jazz, Latin, children's shows, blues, and more.

Levitt Music Series Grants encompass three grant opportunities: Levitt AMP, Levitt VIBE, and Levitt BLOC. Levitt AMP is geared to small to mid-sized towns and cities with populations up to 250,000. Levitt VIBE takes place in large cities with populations over 250,000. Levitt BLOC is open to communities of all population sizes and takes place in multiple public spaces within a town or city. Levitt Music Series Grants are open to 501(c)(3) nonprofits across sectors—current grantees include nonprofits from the arts, creative placemaking, parks, Main Street organizations, community development, affordable housing, as well as youth- and young adult-focused nonprofits, colleges and universities, among others.

About the Levitt Foundation

The Levitt Foundation is a private family foundation that exists to strengthen the social fabric of America. We support changemakers and nonprofits across the country to activate underused public spaces through free outdoor concerts, creating welcoming and inclusive destinations where the power of free, live music brings people together, fosters belonging and social connections, creates economic opportunity, and invigorates community life. In addition to Levitt Music Series Grants, the Foundation supports Levitt venues—state-of-the-art outdoor performance venues, located in large metro areas, managed and programmed by independent Friends of Levitt nonprofits that present 40-50 free concerts per year. Levitt venues and music series locations attract people of all ages and backgrounds and reflect the character of their town or city, while benefitting from the framework and best practices of the Levitt program.

In 2026, with support from the Levitt Foundation, the national Levitt network of Levitt venues, Levitt Music Series locations, and music festival grantees is collectively presenting over 900 free concerts in 90+ towns and cities across the country, with a total audience of over a million people. In addition to funding free concerts, the Levitt Foundation supports advancing vibrant music ecosystems through research and field-building partnerships. In 2023, the Levitt Foundation announced its 20-year spend down of $150 million in assets, accelerating the impact of free concerts in public spaces. www.levitt.org 

SOURCE Levitt Foundation