Publicly funded schools across Ontario are now invited to submit expressions of interest to The Three Rs Music Program for musical instrument repair grants of up to $2,500, and requests for refurbished instruments. The Three Rs Music Program Portal provides a one-stop location to facilitate requests and applications.
Administered by Music Canada's new national affiliated non-profit, Music Canada Cares, The Three Rs Music Program aims to provide equitable access to quality music education by increasing the inventory of musical instruments in Ontario's publicly funded schools, increasing public engagement in support of music education, and connecting students' learning experience to various aspects of Canada's dynamic music industry.
Qualified applicants to The Three Rs Music Program must:
- Be part of the English or French public or Catholic school systems in Ontario
- Currently employ a music teacher
- Have a demonstrated need for instrument repair
- Have the school Principal's approval to submit an application
Through the portal, schools can identify what type of refurbished instruments are most needed for their program and enter up to 20 instruments in their possession requiring repair. They can also enter local repair shop information where the repairs are to be done in their community.
"We're pleased to announce that our portal is accessible, bilingual and user-friendly," says Sarah Hashem, Managing Director of The Three Rs Music Program. "We want to make a big impact for music education in the province in a short period of time, so we're encouraging schools and educators across the province to seize this opportunity and apply early."
Requests through the portal can be submitted until November 18, 2018. In addition to repair grants, The Three Rs Music Program conducts community instrument drives to collect gently-used instruments from Ontario communities. After a successful inaugural drive in Lindsay, the program is now accepting donations in the Greater Toronto Area.
