Sept 9, 2026:

Maplewoodstock presents a $20,000 grant to the School District of South Orange & Maplewood via its parent nonprofit Music and Arts Education Project (MAEP).

The grant puts $500 worth of teacher-selected art-making materials, instruments, music supplies, and production and performance equipment DIRECTLY into every K–12 fine and performing arts classroom, studio, and stage across the district, and is funded by the support of our local donors and sponsors. As a free festival of music and art, of and for the community, this grant endeavors to “pay it forward” to our local young emerging artists.

MAEP’s support for district arts education over the last two years is now $42,000  — the equivalent of over 20% of the district’s entire annual arts budget that has been under recent stress.

Our hope is this support will help equip and encourage our local fine and performing art students to grace our community and the Maplewoodstock festival with their talents in the years to come.

MAEP President Brad Goldman shared, “MAEP is tremendously grateful to our local donors and Maplewoodstock sponsors for stepping up to support the arts in our community.  At a time when budgets are tighter than ever, we are focused on students in Maplewood and South Orange having the opportunity of arts education.”

MAEP Board of Directors member Tony Mazzocchi added “Big thanks to everyone who has supported MAEP and Maplewoodstock. Your generosity is putting meaningful resources directly into the hands of our teachers and their students and is helping preserve arts education and culture for everyone in our community.”

Additional donations to support this initiative are gratefully accepted.