lvmaheadTHE GREATER LEHIGH VALLEY MUSIC ASSOCIATION & ARTSQUEST
PARTNER TO PRESENT THE LEHIGH VALLEY MUSIC AWARDS

The spotlight will shine on the Lehigh Valley music scene like never before as the Greater Lehigh Valley Music Association (GLVMA) and ArtsQuest, two of the region’s leading nonprofits dedicated to highlighting local musicians, partner together to present the 15th edition of the Lehigh Valley Music Awards. The LVMA 15 will take place March 9, 2014 at the Musikfest Café located at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.

The new partnership between the GLVMA and ArtsQuest is designed to unite each organization’s strengths in an effort to increase awareness of the local music awards and the high caliber of the musicians living and working in the Lehigh Valley. Both organizations have strong ties to the local music community and partnering will allow them to share resources and fundraise together in an effort to grow the event in coming years. One of the new elements of the music awards starting in 2014 is that it will be broadcast on Service Electric Cable TV at a date to be announced.

“One of the most important aspects of the newly formed partnership between ArtsQuest and the GLVMA for the LVMA 15 event and beyond will be our ability to pull both of our extensive resources together to take this show to an entirely new level,” says GLVMA Board of Directors Chair Geno Barron. “Thanks to our new partnership, the support of the Philadelphia Chapter of The Grammys, the new awards show date and the Service Electric broadcast, the musicians, the music industry and music fans of the Lehigh Valley will really have something special to look forward to.

“The Musikfest Café is such an awesome place for music events. The last two LVMA shows held here proved to be a perfect match. The LVMA’s have found a home. This is very exciting news and I have no doubt it will help increase the recognition of the amazing talent and the wonderful music community we are so lucky to have here in the Lehigh Valley.”

Since 1984, one of the primary focuses of ArtsQuest’s mission has been providing opportunities for local musicians to perform. Each year, approximately 100 artists and groups from the Lehigh Valley and surrounding region are selected to play at the nonprofit’s festivals and events such as Musikfest and the TD Bank Community Stage at SteelStacks, with the majority of these shows offered at no charge to the community.

The LVMA, created in 1998, is run by the volunteer, nonprofit GLVMA and is designed to honor, reward and celebrate the music industry in the Greater Lehigh Valley. At each edition of the LVMA, the organization presents more than 70 awards honoring the region’s best performers in a variety of genres including blues, rock, folk, gospel, hip-hop, jazz and more, as well as awards honoring local music schools, recording studios, music stores and other local music organizations.

“ArtsQuest is honored to partner with the Greater Lehigh Valley Music Association to help raise the profile of this dynamic event celebrating the incredible artists found right here in our own backyard,” says ArtsQuest Vice President of Performing Arts Patrick Brogan. “Our missions and goals overlap in several areas and this partnership will allow us to combine our strengths and our efforts in a way that will have a very positive impact on the local music scene. ArtsQuest is always looking for partnerships that will improve access to music and the arts and benefit the community as a whole. This one is absolutely a win-win for everyone involved.”

In addition to co-presenting the Lehigh Valley Music Awards, the GLVMA and ArtsQuest plan to work together to develop new music and education initiatives for the community, as well as provide additional opportunities for local artists to perform in the region.

“I am truly excited about this joint venture between these two great Lehigh Valley institutions. Having been associated with both the LVMA and ArtsQuest for many years, I feel I can speak for many Lehigh Valley musicians when I say we’ve watched both organizations grow, mature and prosper and they, in turn, have nurtured and provided us with many wonderful opportunities that have helped us grow into the performers that many of us have become today,” says Coopersburg-based guitarist and multiple-time LVMA winner Craig Thatcher.  “I think the entire arts community at large will benefit from this new association and I see many more possibilities in terms of marketing, attracting larger audiences and actual performance opportunities that will result from it.  Congratulations and best wishes for a very bright future.”

For more information on the LVMA, please visit lehighvalleymusicawards.org.