Passim (47 Palmer Inc)

The Passim Iguana Music Fund fosters a vibrant and exciting music community in New England through seed grants to aspiring local artists for music-related projects. The Passim Iguana Music Fund awards grants between $500 and $2,000 to individual artists with an affiliation to New England either by residence or tour history for specific career building and community service projects. Areas of support may include (but are not limited to): recording or manufacturing assistance, publicity & marketing support, instrument repair or replacement, additional equipment & instruments, special projects and other specific activities promoting artistic and/or professional growth. Since inception, the Fund has given out more than $200,000 in grants. Two of its recent grantees have been nominated for Grammy's.

Founded in 2000, the Passim School of Music offers classes, master classes, workshops, and private lessons to adults in a fun and informal setting. Part of the Passim mission is to create and encourage a vibrant music community, and the school helps accomplish this. A range of diverse classes, which cater to different experience levels, allows students to try their hand at guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, harmonica, voice, and more. The heart of our school is the ensemble program, in which students learn how to collaborate in a band-like setting. Many students return term after term to the camaraderie and fun of the ensembles. Several times per year, students perform on the Club Passim stage at all-school recitals and ensemble showcases. Instructors are a mix of local musicians and visiting artists, many of whom play at the Club. This gives students the rare opportunity to work with an artist as an instructor, and then see the artist perform on the Club Passim stage.

Passim has a strong presence in the Cambridge community throughout the year, often collaborating with the Harvard Square Business Association, Cambridge Arts Council, Berklee College of Music, and other local businesses. Passim presents a stage at Harvard Square's Mayfair festival in the spring and Harvard Square's Oktoberfest festival in the fall. During the summer, Passim hosts the weekly Kendall Square Concert Series, in partnership with Boston Properties at Cambridge Center. The Passim/Berklee Music Series is held weekly in Harvard Square, all summer long. In 2014, in partnership with the City of Cambridge, Passim initiated a free outdoor biweekly summer series in Danehy Park. Passim hosts or co-hosts several festivals each year including campfire., the Passim Bluegrass Festival, Harvard Square Folk Festival, and New England Americana Festival. Passim also opens its doors to the Cambridge community for personal celebrations, book releases, benefits, and other special events.

Club Passim is a 110-seat concert venue presenting over 430 shows for more than 30,000 patrons a year. Programming focuses on mostly acoustic genres of music but does branch out to electric bands, comedy and storytelling. Club Passim is the direct descendent of Passim and Club 47, with a history stretching back to 1958. Throughout its various incarnations, it has been a proving ground for new artists and a place for them to hone their skills as songwriters and performers. The Open Mic creates an opportunity for artists to develop performance skills in front of an audience of listeners and peers. Our campfire. festival provides entry-level opportunities for artists to begin to develop an audience and work towards having a sustainable career in the arts. Club Passim maintains a relationship with artists throughout their careers, from open mics to headlining shows.