Passim Opens Application Process for Grants

Passim, the legendary music listening room in Cambridge, is opening up the application process for the annual Iguana Music Fund. The Iguana Music Fund awards grants annually to musicians for career building projects and for projects that provide community service through music. Established in 2008 after an anonymous donor approached Passim with the idea to start a program to support local artists’ career growth, the fund provides grants from $500 to $2,000 for musicians with a strong New England connection. Applications are open now through Oct. 14. Artists may apply for free at passim.org/iguana.

“This year has been challenging. Being a musician in 2020 has led to more uncertainty than ever before. What remains clear is that art helps us understand ourselves, connects us, and makes life worth living,” said Jim Wooster, Executive Director of Passim. “The world may have stopped in a lot of ways for the time being, but Iguana is here to help.”

 Over the past 12 years, Passim has awarded more than $430,000 in grants, funding more than 200 projects for artists including Della Mae, Oompa, Lake Street Dive, and Awaaz Do. Grants are allocated in the areas of recording or manufacturing assistance, publicity and marketing support, equipment and instruments, songwriting retreats, tour support, special projects and other specific activities that promote artists work  and/or professional growth. 

Applications for the Iguana Music Fund are open now through Oct. 14 at passim.org/iguana. The grants will be distributed in late December.