Sphinx Receives $50,000 Grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to Increase Diversity and Inclusion in Detroit Classical Music Audiences

Pictured (L to R): Knight Foundation President and CEO, Alberto Ibargüen; Sphinx Organization President and Artistic Director, Afa S. Dworkin; Knight Foundation VP Arts Program, Victoria Rogers. Photo Credit: Andrew Potter

The Sphinx Organization is honored to receive a $50,000 Knight Arts Challenge grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to support its efforts to create access to classical music for more diverse and inclusive audiences in Detroit. To achieve greater and more diverse community exposure to the art form, Sphinx will launch a series of community performances by classical musicians of color, culminating in the live & broadcast concert performance of 19th Annual Sphinx Competition Finals Concert at the Max M. Fisher Music Center. Through this project and with the support of the Knight Foundation Sphinx will reach over 50,000 in diverse live and broadcast audiences. The Annual Sphinx Competition Finals Concert showcases the top Black and Latino classical musicians in the country, providing a classical music concert and experience that better reflects the diverse communities in which we live. The Sphinx Competition Finals Concert will take place on Sunday, February 7, 2016 and will be broadcast online and on television through Detroit Public Television. The Sphinx Organization is among 57 winners that were awarded $2.5 million through the 2015 Detroit Knight Arts Challenge. Funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Detroit Knight Arts Challenge initiative seeks to fund the most the most innovative cultural ideas to engage and enrich Detroit communities. This year's Detroit Knight Arts Challenge winners were selected from a pool of more than 1,000 submissions. Comment by email: Thanks so much, Bill!  Afa  [Afa S. Dworkin]