Community MusicWorks Email Format
Civic and Social OrganizationsRhode Island, United States11-50 Employees
Community MusicWorks is a nonprofit based in Providence, Rhode Island, that uses music education and performance to build meaningful connections among children, families, and professional musicians in urban neighborhoods. It offers after-school programming and provides instruments at no charge to neighborhood youth, with participants able to stay involved for several years. The organization centers around the Providence String Quartet, a permanent ensemble established in 2001 to accompany its resident musicians and students. Founded in 1997, CMW has grown beyond its early start to serve a significant number of local youth, supported by a Fellowship Program begun in 2006 that expanded enrollment and opportunities for aspiring professional musicians. The program emphasizes long-term engagement, achieving a retention rate near 90 percent as students participate for multiple years, sometimes up to a decade. In late 2024 the organization opened a new 24,000-square-foot music school on Westminster Street in Providence, signaling its ongoing expansion.