MusiCounts Awards $1 Million in Musical Instruments to 95 Schools Across Canada

Toronto, ON - MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity, is proud to announce that $1 million worth of instruments, equipment, and resources are being allocated to 95 schools across Canada through the MusiCounts Band Aid Program. The MusiCounts Band Aid Program grants up to $15,000 for high-need schools to furnish or refurbish their music programming. Max Kerman of The Arkells made the announcement virtually on MusiCounts’ TikTok account.

MusiCounts is also announcing an exciting partnership with TikTok Canada, who will be supporting secondary schools through the MusiCounts Band Aid program and MusiCounts Learn Kanata resource. TikTok will be donating a portion of funds to buy instruments for high schools across the country and tips for teaching with TikTok will be integrated into the Kanata resource. The guide, a product of collaboration between several Indigenous educators, advisors and artists, led by Sherryl Sewepagaham, is a free resource for any educator who wishes to bring contemporary Indigenous music into the classroom.

“There are so many things to be excited about regarding the 2021 MusiCounts Band Aid Program grant recipients,” says Kristy Fletcher, Executive Director of MusiCounts. “The $1 million we’re awarding will transform what music education looks like at these schools. We’re so proud to be supporting new and existing music programs, that represent all styles of music instruction to support young Canadians’ heritage, traditions, and interests. By collaborating with TikTok Canada, who are supporting secondary schools through the MusiCounts Band Aid Program and the Kanata resource, we’re committing to evolving with music, technology, and young voices across the country.”

"We take great care to foster a safe and supportive environment where our community can express themselves authentically and creatively, and this means empowering diverse voices," said Adam Burchill, Head of Music, TikTok Canada. "Through the MusiCounts Learn Kanata resource and the MusiCounts Band Aid program, we're providing high school students with the education, tools, and resources needed to help foster their creative expression, and amplifying the rich cultural history of Indigenous art and voices in Canada."

The $1 million investment will support 95 schools from coast to coast to coast, including unprecedented investments in the territories ($173,000 to 16 schools) and the Atlantic provinces ($218,500 to 18 schools). The MusiCounts Band Aid Program operates through an equity-based lens, and prioritizes schools that support BIPOC youth with culturally-specific programming. Of the recipient schools, nearly 40% identified as supporting large populations of BIPOC youth.

The MusiCounts Band Aid Program transforms what music education looks like for schools that need it most. In their submitted applications, 65% of schools receiving grants reported an annual budget of $500 or less for music education at their school. With this in mind, the new instruments and gear these schools will receive through the Band Aid Program are once-in-a-generation opportunities. With MusiCounts’ support, schools are finally able to replace old and broken instruments (some reportedly over 60 years of age), or purchase entirely new instruments to reflect the student population’s cultural identity and unique needs. The MusiCounts Band Aid Program supports all approaches to music education, and recipients in the 2021 cohort will be funding recording studios, drum-making workshops led by Indigenous Elders, and ukulele ensembles, to name a few.

MusiCounts is proud to support the incredible work of teachers and educators from across Canada, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, when delivering quality music education has been a unique challenge. For the full list of the 2021 MusiCounts Band Aid Program recipient schools, see below.

MusiCounts is only able to support approximately 25% of in-need schools that seek support from the MusiCounts Band Aid Program. To learn more about how to support the MusiCounts Band Aid Program, click here.

2021 MusiCounts Band Aid Program Recipient Schools

ALBERTA         

• Bishop Lloyd Middle School - Lloydminster
• Chief Big Belly Middle School - Tsuut'ina
• Gleneadows School - Calgary
• Ivor Dent - Edmonton
• Kitscoty High School - Kitscoty
• Reed Ranch - Torrington
• St. Theresa School - Wabasca
• Warburg School - Warburg

BRITISH COLUMBIA   

• Christina Lake Elementary School - Christina Lake
• Fort Rupert Elementary School - Port Hardy
• Hazelton Secondary School - Hazelton
• John Norquay Elementary School - Vancouver
• Kwantlen Park Secondary - Surrey
• Kyuquot Elementary Secondary School - Kyuquot
• Nusdeh Yoh Elementary - Prince George
• Prince Charles Elementary School - Surrey
• Shas Ti Kelly Road Secondary School - Prince George
• Uplands Park Elementary - Nanaimo
• Vermilion Forks Elementary - Princeton
• Westwood Elementary School - Prince George

MANITOBA     

• Gillam School - Gillam
• Green Acres Colony School - Wawanesa
• Nisichawayasihk Neyo Ohtinwak Collegiate - Nelson House
• Joe A. Ross School - Opaskwaya

NEW BRUNSWICK      

• Dorchester Consolidated School - Dorchester
• École communautaire Soeur-Saint-Alexandre - Lamèque
• École Notre-Dame - Edmundston
• Edith Cavell School - Moncton
• Harcourt School - Harcourt
• Hazen-White St. Francis School - Saint John

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

• Forest Park Primary - Grand Falls-Windsor
• Holy Trinity High School - Torbay
• J. M. Olds Collegiate - Twillingate
• J.R. Smallwood Middle School - Wabush
• St. Peter's Junior High - Mount Pearl

NOVA SCOTIA

• Admiral Westphal Elementary School - Dartmouth
• Digby Elementary School - Digby
• Jubilee Elementary - Sydney Mines
• New Germany Rural High School - New Germany
• Northumberland Regional High School - Westville
• Springhill Elementary School - Springhill
• Tamarac Education Center - Port Hawkesbury
• Tatamagouche Regional Academy - Tatamagouche
• Trenton Elementary School - Trenton

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

• Charles Yohin School - Nahanni Butte
• Deh Gah School - Fort Providence
• Echo Dene School - Fort Liard
• École Boréale - Hay River
• Mildred Hall School - Yellowknife
• Range Lake North - Yellowknife

NUNAVUT      

• Inuksuk High School - Iqaluit
• Inuujaq School - Arctic Bay
• Jimmy Hikok Ilihakvik - Kugluktuk
• Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik High School - Rankin Inlet
• Nanook School - Iqaluit
• Qaqqalik School - Kimmirut
• Sivuniit Middle School - Igloolik
• Tuugaalik High School - Naujaat

ONTARIO        

• AR Kaufman Public School - Kitchener
• Bernie Custis Secondary School - Hamilton
• Darcel Senior Public School - Mississauga
• David Suzuki Secondary School - Brampton
• Derrydown Public School - North York
• Eagle Heights PS - London
• École élémentaire Jean-Paul II - Val Caron
• Eenchokay Birchstick School - Pikangikum
• Glen Williams Public School - Glen Williams
• Grand Valley & District Public School - Grand Valley
• Highview Public School - Aurora
• James Cardinal McGuigan - Toronto
• Mackenzie Glen P.S. - Vaughan
• North Shore Public School - Keene
• Ray Lawson Public School - Brampton
• St. Michael Catholic Elementary School - Niagara on the Lake
• St. Benedict Catholic School - Rexdale
• Tredway Woodsworth Public School - Toronto
• Willow Park Junior Public School - Toronto
• Woburn Junior P.S. - Scarborough
• Moosonee Public School* - Moosonee

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND       

• Gulf Shore Consolidated School - North Rustico

QUÉBEC          

• École Belle-Vallée - Maskinongé
• École de l'Épervière - Ste-Thérèse - Saint-Agapit
• Jaanimmarik School - Kuujjuaq
• École secondaire Louis-Joseph-Papineau - Papineauville
• École Notre-Dame-de-Fatima - Landrienne
• Sautjuit School - Kangirsuk

SASKATCHEWAN        

• Almightyvoice Education Centre - Bellevue
• Chief Mistawasis School - Leask
• Dr. Brass School - Yorkton
• Keethanow Elementary - Stanley Mission
• Muskoday First Nation Community School - Muskoday
• Princess Alexandra Community School - Saskatoon

YUKON            

• Selkirk Elementary School - Whitehorse
• Vanier Catholic Secondary School - Whitehorse

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