"What we've tried to do is solve this tremendous problem of access, to make music composition not this thing in an ivory tower that you can't do, but something that's accessible, achievable, and real." — Clare Hoffman, Grand Canyon Music Festival

Started in 2000 as an outreach initiative from the Grand Canyon Music Festival, the NEA-supported Native American Composer Apprentice Project seeks to bring musical inspiration and education to rural Native communities, many of which don't have the resources to offer strong arts programs for their students. Boasting alum such as multi-hyphenate composer and instrumentalist Michael Begay (Diné), the award-winning arts education project not only helps students gain musical knowledge and creative confidence by working with world-class teachers and music ensembles, but it also provides a platform from which these young composers can give voice to their cultural heritage. READ MORE.

This story originally appeared in the American Artscape (NEA Arts) issue Engaged and Empowered: The Importance of Arts Education.