Black Country singers and music professionals could earn $1,000 monthly income under new program

Forward-thinking progressions regarding equity in country music have led to the just-announced pairing of The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) and Academy of Country Music (ACM) for "OnRamp," a guaranteed income program for 20 young, Black artists and industry professionals based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Alongside receiving a $1,000 monthly stipend for one year, the program's members will -- as noted via a press statement -- be "granted access to professional development opportunities, community mentorship, and other opportunities to increase personal growth, industry exposure, exclusive Academy membership panels and tentpole live events, and visibility with Academy Board members and industry leaders."

"OnRamp" applications will be available starting in late spring, with the program beginning in June. Interested candidates can visit https://acmcountry.com/onramp to sign up for email notifications when applications are available.

"The Academy has a rich history of fostering diversity and inclusion in the Country Music industry both on stage and behind-the-scenes, and we see this partnership as a particularly impactful way to continue our committed work to making the statement 'Country Music is for Everyone' a true reality," said ACM CEO Damon Whiteside. "We're excited to work with BMAC on this pivotal and transformative work for our Nashville community by increasing opportunities for young professionals from diverse backgrounds in our industry."

This 2023 announcement follows BMAC's 2022 release of the report "Three Chords and the ACTUAL Truth: The Manufactured Myth of Country Music and White America," highlighting the history of racism in the genre and bringing diversity to Music Row.

Findings from that report included BMAC co-founder/co-chair Willie "Prophet" Stiggers asking for Nashville record, publishing and management companies to develop what was then called a "Transformative Support for Emerging Black Artists and Young Professionals Through a Guaranteed Basic Income Program," which became the "OnRamp" campaign.

"OnRamp" joins ACM's year-old "LEVel Up: Lift Every Voice" program, a two-year curriculum designed to empower its participants "in expanding the horizons of Country Music into new audiences that transcend demographicsand geography."

ACM DEI Task Force Chair and ACM Board Member Shannon Sanders notes the "commitment and passion of the ACM LEVel Up rising leaders cohort," and adds that "[ACM] continues to play a pivotal role in ushering in a new era in country music by truly supporting and lifting up those underrepresented in the industry."

"OnRamp" 's 2023 campaign will initially be funded by the Black Music Action Coalition, the Academy of Country Music, and industry partners and powered by social impact agency BreatheWithMe. Future "OnRamp" programming is "encouraged to be funded via corporations and companies operating in Nashville and beyond."

"OnRamp" is one of many guaranteed income programs BMAC will present in 2023.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Black Country singers could get $1,000 monthly income under new program