Children gather around the piano at the Institute of Music for Children. Photo courtesy of the Institute of Music for Children.
Based in Elizabeth, the Institute of Music for Children is an arts education organization serving over 1200 youth annually through its afterschool programming, summer camp, and partnerships with local organizations throughout the region.
The Institute received a $20,000 grant for a new staff position through the Cultural Trust’s FY21 Institutional and Financial Stabilization Grants for Arts Organizations program.
An organization’s staff is essential to operations and institutional capacity. In addition to ensuring that the day-to-day work of the organization continues smoothly and that quality programs are delivered, staff contribute unique skills, expertise, and creativity — assets critical to an organization’s long-term stability, resilience, and adaptability.
In 2020, the Institute of Music for Children faced a transition that underscored the importance of matching the organization’s staff capacity to its changing needs. The Institute was founded in 1995 by the Third Westminster Presbyterian Church, and it separately incorporated in 2003. The church owned and maintained the shared three-acre campus until 2017, when the church dissolved, and the Institute officially took ownership of the property in 2021. The shift from being a renter to an owner came with a new set of opportunities and challenges, and the Institute recognized the need to grow its staff accordingly.
With its Cultural Trust grant, the Institute created a new part-time Facilities Manager position. According to the Institute’s grant report, by “building staff expertise,” the project has “provided operational stability by enabling the Institute to be fully prepared to be property owners.” The new Facilities Manager quickly proved invaluable, organizing roof, wall, and lighting repairs, and ensuring efficient use of the Institute’s supplies, materials, and equipment. The project also included the completion of an emergency safety plan; the development of a master facilities plan that includes, among other things, new ADA improvements; and setting aside endowment funding for ongoing maintenance and repairs. Beyond addressing immediate needs, these investments in planning and capital will help ensure the long-term sustainability of the campus.
Learn more about the Institute of Music for Children: https://www.instituteofmusic.org/
The Institute of Music for Children serves over 1,200 youth annually. Photo courtesy of the Institute of Music for Children
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