PHOENIX (August 6, 2018) – Thunderbirds Charities, the charitable giving arm of the Thunderbirds, hosts of the Waste Management Phoenix Open presented by Ak-Chin Indian Community, recently awarded $50,000 to the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM). This important funding will help cover travel costs for about 15,500 Arizona students and teachers from Title I schools visiting MIM during the 2018–2019 school year and will support the Artist Residency Program, which brings professional musicians from around the world to provide unique educational opportunities for students and youth.
“Most Arizona schools and education professionals are eager for their students to experience a field trip at MIM, but transportation costs remain a barrier. We are deeply grateful for our enduring partnership with Thunderbirds Charities, which has allowed so many students and teachers the ability to see, hear, and feel the powerful and uniting force of music in an entirely new way,” says April A. Salomon, MIM’s executive director.
MIM is an education powerhouse, supporting school and youth group field trip participants through robust, interactive programming. Every two-hour field trip includes an orientation video, free-choice learning, and a visit to a hands-on gallery. The field trip program also includes options for an African drumming and dance workshop or a live musical performance in the MIM Music Theater as part of the Artist Residency Program. All field trip options are tailored to meet Arizona K–12 Academic Standards. MIM’s educational programming is designed to inspire the next generation of musical artists, harness the power of music to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, and contribute to the advancement of music education in Arizona.
“The MIM’s ability to spark the imagination of the youth it serves is an inspiration to us all,” says Carlos Sugich, president of Thunderbirds Charities. “We’re excited to support this unique educational program.”
After eight complete school years since its opening in 2010, MIM is now among the most visited field trip destinations in the Phoenix area. Last year, nearly 70,000 students, youth, teachers, and chaperones experienced MIM’s “A World of Musical Journeys” field trip program, and 80 percent of field trips were supported by grant dollars awarded to MIM from generous individuals, corporations, and foundations, like Thunderbirds Charities.
The Musical Instrument Museum is located at 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard in Phoenix (corner of Tatum and Mayo Boulevards, just south of Loop 101). For general museum information and a full schedule of events, visit MIM.org or call 480.478.6000.
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About MIM
The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) enriches our world by collecting, preserving, and making accessible an astonishing variety of musical instruments and performance videos from every country in the world. MIM offers guests a welcoming and fun experience, incomparable interactive technology, dynamic programming, and exceptional musical performances. MIM fosters appreciation of the world’s diverse cultures by showing how we innovate, adapt, and learn from each other to create music—the language of the soul. To learn more about MIM, visit MIM.org.