The Latin Recording Academy® Announces Its  2022 Special Awards Recipients

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The Latin Recording Academy® Announces Its 2022 Special Awards Recipients

Latin GRAMMYs/Aug 25, 2022 - 02:00 PM

This year’s honorees include Rosario Flores, Myriam Hernández, Rita Lee, 

Amanda Miguel, Yordano, Manolo Díaz, Paquito D’Rivera and Abraham Laboriel

 Click here for images

MIAMI (AUGUST 25, 2022) — The Latin Recording Academy® announced today that Rosario FloresMyriam Hernández, Rita LeeAmanda Miguel and Yordano will receive this year's Lifetime Achievement Award, as part of its annual Special Awards Presentation. Additionally, Manolo DíazPaquito D’Rivera and Abraham Laboriel will receive the Trustees Award.

“The collective accomplishments of this extraordinary group of artists and their contributions to Latin music are immeasurable,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. “It will be a great privilege to honor these legendary figures during Latin GRAMMY® Week in Las Vegas.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to performers who have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to Latin music and its communities. The Trustees Award is bestowed on individuals who have made significant contributions to Latin music during their careers in ways other than performance. Both distinctions are voted on by The Latin Recording Academy's Board of Trustees.

The honorees will be celebrated in a private event as part of Latin GRAMMY Week on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Eduardo Osorio will return as executive producer along with the production team at The Latin Recording Academy.

2022 Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees:

Rosario Flores (Spain)

From the beginning of her remarkable career, this Spanish pop phenomenon has added elegance and understatement to all of her performances, be it a rock ballad, an authentic rumba catalana or a lilting love song. Born in Madrid to a one of the most iconic musical families in Spain, she began recording music at a young age, and enjoyed the tutelage of her older brother, singer/songwriter Antonio Flores, on albums such as 1994’s Siento. A year after his tragic passing, Rosario’s heart wrenching homage to his memory, “Qué Bonito,” became one of her biggest hits. In 2002, a role in Pedro Almodóvar’s masterpiece Talk To Her showcased her versatility as an artist, which also shines on her most recent album, 2021’s lush Te Lo Digo Todo Y No Te Digo Na.

Myriam Hernández (Chile)

One of Chile’s most influential and commercially successful singer/songwriters, Myriam Hernández emerged during the late ’80s and left a profound mark on contemporary romantic music. After the success of “El Hombre Que Yo Amo,” from her 1990 album DosLa Baladista de América— as she is known affectionately—has been creating hit after hit thanks to her “amyrianado” style, juxtaposing delicate, nocturnal moods with the inherent passion of her delivery. Hernández has collaborated with respected artists like Gilberto Santa Rosa, Marco Antonio Solís, Cristian Castro and Paul Anka, as well as establishing herself as a respected television personality. 

Rita Lee (Brazil)

Rita Lee is one of the best-selling singer-songwriters in the history of Brazil, a visionary artist whose singular sonic identity merges pop balladry, MPB, bossa and new wave. She began her career with the band Os Mutantes, and recorded albums with backing band Tutti Frutti, including the 1975 album Fruto Proibido. In 1979, she released the legendary LP Rita Lee, in partnership with her husband, multi-instrumentalist Roberto de Carvalho, and their collaborations continued throughout the ‘80s with a long string of radio hits and sold-out concerts. In later decades, she began stepping out of her comfort zone with acoustic recordings like Aqui, Ali, em Qualquer Lugar, a collection of live songs based on Beatles covers.

Amanda Miguel (Argentina)

Born in the province of Chubut, Argentina, Amanda Miguel studied music in Buenos Aires, where she met singer/songwriter Diego Verdaguer, her future husband and creative partner. With Verdaguer as producer, Miguel released a visionary trilogy of concept albums known as El Sonido between 1981 and 1984. Recorded in Los Angeles with top session musicians, the albums connected with lovers of torrid ballads, generating massive hits such as “Así No Te Amará Jamás.” In 1992 she released Rompecorazones, a sophisticated excursion into ranchera territory, followed four years later by the pop blockbuster Ámame Una Vez Más. In a career now spanning more than four decades, her passion for music continues with her 2022 “Siempre Te Amaré” tour with her daughter Ana Victoria.

Yordano (Venezuela)

Italian-born Venezuelan singer/songwriter Yordano has infused Latin music with his poetic vision through a delicate, ever-evolving songbook of cosmopolitan pop, tropical idioms and romantic ballads. After earning a degree in architecture, he began his musical career in 1978 as a vocalist with the band Sietecuero. His second solo album, 1984’s Yordano , and the song “Manantial de Corazón,” made him an international sensation. His subsequent LPs boasted memorable radio hits, such as “Locos de Amor” in 1988 and the social commentary song “Por Estas Calles” four years later. In 2016 he revisited his catalogue on El Tren de los Regresos, featuring guest spots by Carlos Vives, Kany García and other prominent artists.

2022 Trustees Award Honorees:

Manolo Díaz (Spain)

After a decades-long career in the music industry, Manolo Díaz poured his experience as a socially-conscious singer, songwriter and label executive into his role as Senior Vice President and now Board member of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®, where he served for over seven years. He was an active participant in the ’60s wave of Spanish rock in his native country as a guitarist with Los Sonor, and later writing and producing hits for Los Bravos and Aguaviva. In the ’70s, Díaz transitioned to a respected career as a music executive at CBS, Sony, IFPI, and UMG, working closely with such luminaries as Julio and Enrique Iglesias, Raffaella Carrá, Juanes, Carlos Vives and others.

Paquito D’Rivera (Cuba)

The winner of nine Latin GRAMMYs® and five GRAMMYs®, Cuban saxophonist and composer Paquito D’Rivera has enriched the landscape of contemporary Latin music with his sense of humor and artistic panache. He was a founding member of the Cuban progressive supergroup Irakere in the ’70s. After a move to the United States in 1980, he created the United Nations Orchestra with the legendary Dizzy Gillespie, bridging Afro-Caribbean styles with jazz. As a soloist, D’Rivera has performed with symphony orchestras all over the globe, championing the inclusion of Latin American composers in the classical repertoire.

Abraham Laboriel (Mexico)

Born in Mexico City, Abraham Laboriel first learned guitar from his father before switching to bass. It was composer Henry Mancini who advised Laboriel to move to Los Angeles in search of session work, and after an international tour with singer Al Jarreau, he cemented his reputation as a technically superb player who could easily adapt to any given style. Much admired in the jazz community, he has worked with greats such as Ella Fitzgerald and Herbie Hancock, and also became the bassist of choice for Latin stars including Julio Iglesias, Rubén Blades and José José.

Latin GRAMMY Week will culminate with the 23rd Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®, which will be broadcast live from the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. CT) on Univision.

For more information and the latest news, visit the official Latin Recording Academy site at LatinGRAMMY.com. Follow us on Facebook (LatinGRAMMYs), Twitter (@LatinGRAMMYs) or Instagram (@LatinGRAMMYs), and use #LatinGRAMMY on all popular social media platforms.

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ABOUT THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY:
The Latin Recording Academy® is an international nonprofit dedicated to nurturing, celebrating, honoring and elevating Latin music and its creators. Established as the global authority on Latin music, the membership-based organization composed of music professionals, produces the annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®, The Biggest Night in Latin Music®, which honors excellence in the recording arts and sciences, in addition to providing educational and outreach programs for the music community through its Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®. For more information, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
The Latin Recording Academy
Iveliesse Malavé
ive@grammy.com

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® Announces The Paco De Lucía Legacy Scholarship In Partnership With The Paco De Lucía Foundation

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The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® Announces The Paco De Lucía Legacy Scholarship In Partnership With The Paco De Lucía Foundation

Latin GRAMMYs/Jan 21, 2025 - 11:00 AM

Valued at $120,000, the scholarship will cover tuition and wrap-around services that further the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation’s mission of offering educational opportunities to students with a passion for flamenco music

Deadline to Apply: April 10, 2025

MIAMI (JANUARY 21, 2025) – The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® announced the Paco de Lucía Legacy Scholarship, the first of the Legacy Scholarship series, established in partnership with the Paco de Lucía Foundation. The scholarship furthers the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation's mission of supporting and cultivating the next generation of music creators, offering educational opportunities that advance Latin music and its legacy.

The Paco de Lucía Legacy Scholarship will award $120,000 toward tuition, including wrap-around services provided by the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation, for a student to attend the music institution of their choice.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to expand our reach to future Latin music creators through this scholarship, in partnership with the Paco de Lucía Foundation,” said Raquel “Rocky” Egusquiza, Executive Director of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. “It’s an honor to pay tribute to the legacy of one of the most influential guitar players in the history of flamenco and music in general, and forge new paths in his memory.”

Casilda Sánchez Varela, president of the Paco de Lucía Foundation, said, “It’s important to support young musicians through international platforms as prestigious as the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation, and, of course, through the artistic and personal legacy of maestros like Paco de Lucía.”

The scholarship will be awarded to a music student between 17 and 25 years of age who demonstrates a passion for flamenco music, is enrolled in the music institution of their choice, and faces financial limitations in pursuing a college degree. The student can pursue a bachelor’s degree at their preferred institution and begin their musical studies in the fall of 2025.

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation is accepting applications for all 2025 scholarships until April 10, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Click here to review 2025 guidelines and apply. The application includes two audition videos, two letters of recommendation, two essays, and an acceptance letter from an accredited university. Materials can be submitted in English, Spanish or Portuguese.

Last year, The Latin Recording Academy®, in collaboration with the Regional Government of Andalucía, hosted the Latin GRAMMY® Celebra: Paco de Lucía event in Cádiz, in homage to the guitarist. The event, attended by the Andalusian maestro’s family, was a journey through Paco de Lucía's life, accompanied by artists and friends who shared his path and performed some of his most beloved songs.

During the tribute, the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation, in collaboration with the Paco de Lucía Foundation and Berklee College of Music, exclusively premiered a recording and video clip of “Cositas Buenas,” composed by Paco de Lucía. The recording featured four Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation scholarship recipients, with arrangements and instrumentation by artists from the Alalá Foundation and production by Salomé Limón, a member of the Circle of Producers and Engineers of The Latin Academy.

To date, the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation has awarded 427 scholarships and invested over $10 million in scholarships, grants, educational programs and mentorships over the last decade.

For information and the latest news, please visit the official Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation website at www.latingrammyculturalfoundation.org

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ABOUT THE LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION:

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established by The Latin Recording Academy® with the vision of becoming a global champion of music education and empowering communities through Latin music and culture. In 2024, the Foundation celebrated its 10-year anniversary, and during the last decade it has fostered the next generation of Latin music creators through scholarships, education programs and grants that advance Latin music and celebrate its rich cultural heritage. To date, the Foundation has donated more than $10 million with the support of The Latin Recording Academy’s members, artists, corporate sponsors and other generous donors. For additional information or to donate, please visit latingrammyculturalfoundation.org or our Facebook page. And follow us @latingrammyfdn on X and Instagram, and at Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation on Facebook and LinkedIn.

ABOUT PACO DE LUCÍA:

Paco de Lucía revolutionized flamenco, taking his art from the smallest tablaos to the most prestigious stages worldwide. He combined tradition and avant-garde, resulting in a unique style that transcended genres. Works such as El Concierto De Aranjuez and Entre Dos Aguas redefined flamenco guitar, consolidating the maestro as one of the 20th century’s most influential musicians.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

The Latin Recording Academy

Nathalie Alberto

Nathalie.Alberto@grammy.com

Equipo Singular

María García: maria.garcia@equiposingular.com

Sofía Esnaola: sofia.esnaola@equiposingular.com

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation Announces The First Emerging Artist Scholarship, In Partnership With Berklee College Of Music

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The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation Announces The First Emerging Artist Scholarship, In Partnership With Berklee College Of Music

Latin GRAMMYs/Jan 08, 2025 - 02:00 PM

As part of its commitment to further the Foundation’s mission, Berklee College of Music pledges $825,000 in scholarships to be distributed over the next three years

Deadline to apply is April 10, 2025

MIAMI (JANUARY 8, 2025) — The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® announced the first Emerging Artist Scholarship, in partnership with Berklee College of Music, toward a bachelor’s degree at the college for the 2025 fall semester. Through a series of scholarships, the institution furthers its commitment to advance the Foundation’s mission to provide educational opportunities that advance Latin music and its heritage, pledging $825,000 over the next three years for future music creators.

The Emerging Artist Scholarship is valued at $275,000, and covers a bachelor’s degree and room and board at Berklee, as well as wrap around services and ongoing mentorship and learning opportunities provided in partnership with the Foundation.

The Foundation has collaborated with Berklee College of Music for more than a decade, and many of its high school graduates and recipients of the prestigious Prodigy Scholarship have attended the college to pursue degrees in music.

“The collaboration between Berklee and the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation has been an excellent model in creating access to education and career opportunities for young artists,” said Jim Lucchese, president of Berklee. “The Emerging Artist Scholarship will continue and expand on this great work by offering additional pathways to help students achieve their dreams at Berklee.”

“The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation has been a tremendous supporter of our students, contributing many millions of dollars in scholarship support to some of our gifted artists,” said Damien Bracken, dean of admissions at Berklee. “In celebration of the Foundation’s 10-year anniversary commemorated in 2024, I am so pleased to establish the Emerging Artist Scholarship in partnership with the Foundation, a Presidential level scholarship for undergraduate studies. We look forward to continuing to explore new ways that Berklee and the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation can work together to support prospective students and applicants.”

“Berklee College of Music has been a committed partner of the Foundation for more than a decade, and we are so pleased to enter this next phase in our collaboration,” said Raquel “Rocky” Egusquiza, Executive Director of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. “We are grateful for Berklee’s ongoing support as together, with their generosity, we continue furthering the Foundation’s mission and expanding access to educational opportunities that advance Latin music and its heritage.”

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation is now accepting applications for all 2025 scholarships until April 10, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Click here to review 2025 guidelines and apply. The application includes two audition videos, two letters of recommendation, two essays, and an acceptance letter from an accredited university. Materials can be submitted in English, Spanish or Portuguese.

To date, the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation has awarded 427 scholarships, investing more than $10 million over the last decade in scholarships, grants, educational and mentorship programs.

For information and the latest news, please visit the official Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation website at: www.latingrammyculturalfoundation.org.

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ABOUT BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC:

Berklee is the preeminent institute of contemporary music and the performing arts, offering undergraduate, graduate degree programs, and other capacity building programs at its campuses in Boston, Massachusetts, New York, New York, and Valencia, Spain, through its award-winning distance learning program, Berklee Online, and the Berklee Abu Dhabi Center in the UAE. Dedicated to nurturing the creative and career potential of the world’s most inspired artists, Berklee’s commitment to arts education is reflected in the work of its students, faculty, and alumni—hundreds of whom have been recognized with GRAMMYs, Tonys, Oscars, and Emmys.

ABOUT THE LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION:

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established by The Latin Recording Academy® with the vision of becoming a global champion of music education and empowering communities through Latin music and culture. In 2024, the Foundation celebrated its 10-year anniversary, and during the last decade it has fostered the next generation of Latin music creators through scholarships, education programs and grants that advance Latin music and celebrate its rich cultural heritage. To date, the Foundation has donated more than $10 million dollars with the support of The Latin Recording Academy’s members, artists, corporate sponsors and other generous donors. For additional information or to donate, please visit latingrammyculturalfoundation.org or our Facebook page. And follow us @latingrammyfdn on X and Instagram, and at Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation on Facebook and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:

The Latin Recording Academy

Nathalie Alberto

Nathalie.Alberto@grammy.com

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® Announces The 2025 Warner Music Latina Scholarship

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The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® Announces The 2025 Warner Music Latina Scholarship

Latin GRAMMYs/Dec 20, 2024 - 03:00 PM

For the first time, the four-year scholarship towards a bachelor's degree and wrap around services will be sponsored by a record label

Additional scholarships are available to music students with financial limitations from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, Gil Family Foundation and Gibson Gives

Deadline to apply is April 10, 2025

MIAMI (DECEMBER 20, 2024) — The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® announced that Warner Music Latina will sponsor its Prodigy Scholarship toward a bachelor’s degree at Berklee College of Music. The scholarship will cover tuition and room and board for the 2025 fall semester, as well as wrap around services provided by the Foundation. Warner Music Latina—a powerhouse in Latin music with a legacy of discovering and developing groundbreaking artists across genres— brings its industry-leading expertise and deep commitment to nurturing emerging talent to this partnership. It is the first time in the scholarship’s decade long history that it will be sponsored by a record label.

“This partnership embodies one of our core values: to cultivate intellectual and artistic potential by removing barriers that often impede exceptional musicians from realizing their vision. Through strategic educational support we're not just investing in individual careers, but in the broader cultural landscape of musical innovation,” said Alejandro Duque, President of Warner Music Latin America. Roberto Andrade, Managing Director, Warner Music Latina, added, “At Warner Music Latina, we’re proud to support young talent through this scholarship. By empowering aspiring musicians, we’re investing in the voices that will shape tomorrow’s soundtrack. This is more than an opportunity – it’s a commitment to creativity, talent and the future of music.”

“The support of our donors makes the fulfillment of our mission to provide educational opportunities that advance Latin music and its heritage a reality,” said Raquel “Rocky” Egusquiza, Executive Director of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. “We are grateful to Warner Music Latina, Frost School of Music, Gibson Gives and the Gil Family Foundation for hosting these scholarships, providing opportunities to aspiring Latin music creators in need of financial aid to pursue their dreams.”

In addition, several scholarships are available for music students between the ages of 17 and 25 with a passion for Latin music and financial limitations:

Two (2) Gifted Tuition Scholarships of up to $120,000 each will be awarded to students to cover tuition costs towards a four-year bachelor's degree in music and wrap around services starting next fall as follows:

  • The Frost School of Music at the University of Miami will award one scholarship to a student interested in pursuing a program at the highly acclaimed music school, for up to $120,000 including wrap around services over four years. Sharing a mission to shape the future of music and transform lives, the Frost School and the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation joining forces has been a long time coming, and most recently, the school hosted the Foundation's 10-year celebration on its Miami campus at the brand-new Knight Center for Music Innovation.

  • Gil Family Foundation will also offer a scholarship for up to $120,000 for tuition and wrap around services for a student to attend the music institution of their choice.

Also, several other Tuition Assistance Scholarships offering up to $12,500 each for tuition and wrap around services over one year will be awarded to students to attend or who are attending the music institution of their choice. These are one-time awards.

Gibson Gives, the philanthropic division of the iconic American instrument brand Gibson, will offer three (3) Tuition Assistance Scholarships of up to $12,500 each to be awarded to students who study guitar as their principal instrument. This is a one-time award that will cover tuition and wrap around services for the music institution of their choice and includes the gift of a Gibson guitar.

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation is now accepting applications for all 2025 scholarships until April 10, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Click here to review 2025 guidelines and apply. The application includes two audition videos, two letters of recommendation, two essays, and an acceptance letter from an accredited university. Materials can be submitted in English, Spanish or Portuguese.

To date, the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation has awarded 427 scholarships, investing more than $10 million over the last decade. The Prodigy Scholarship was created 10 years ago, and has been co-sponsored by iconic Latin music creators including Sebastián Yatra (2024), Nicky Jam (2023), Sofia Carson (2022), Juanes (2021), Julio Iglesias (2020), Emilio and Gloria Estefan (2019), Carlos Vives (2018), Miguel Bosé (2017), Juan Luis Guerra (2016) and Enrique Iglesias (2015).

For information and the latest news, please visit the official Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation website at: www.latingrammyculturalfoundation.org

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ABOUT THE LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION:

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established by The Latin Recording Academy® with the vision of becoming a global champion of music education and empowering communities through Latin music and culture. In 2024 the Foundation will celebrate its 10-year anniversary, and during the last decade it has fostered the next generation of Latin music creators through scholarships, education programs and grants that advance Latin music and celebrate its rich cultural heritage. To date, the Foundation has donated more than $10 million dollars with the support of The Latin Recording Academy’s members, artists, corporate sponsors and other generous donors. For additional information or to donate, please visit latingrammyculturalfoundation.org or our Facebook page. And follow us @latingrammyfdn on X and Instagram, and at Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation on Facebook and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:

The Latin Recording Academy

Nathalie Alberto

Nathalie.Alberto@grammy.com

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® Announces Winners Of Its Latin Music Research And Preservation Grants Program

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The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® Announces Winners Of Its Latin Music Research And Preservation Grants Program

Latin GRAMMYs/Dec 19, 2024 - 02:00 PM

Six talented researchers, musicologists, non-profit organizations and educational institutions will receive a total of $60,000 for research and preservation of Latin music, sponsored for the first time by PepsiCo Juntos Crecemos

MIAMI (DECEMBER 19, 2024) — The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® announced the six winners of its Latin Music Research and Preservation Grants program. This marks the second time this year that winners have been awarded for this program.

In celebration of the Foundation’s 10th anniversary, and in partnership with PepsiCo Juntos Crecemos, it launched six additional grants increasing the individual grant amounts from $5,000 to $10,000 each, for a total of $60,000 distributed amongst projects for this group.

The program provides grants to educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, musicologists and researchers around the world who are enhancing and preserving Latin music heritage. This year, a diverse array of institutions and scholars will benefit from this support. The six grants are dedicated to a range of initiatives. Research Grants focus on projects that highlight historical and anthropological studies, as well as the documentation of traditions and Latin folklore, while Preservation Grants are designed to fund the archiving and safeguarding of Latin music and its distinctive cultural practices.

“Research and Preservation Grants are essential for preserving the legacy of Latin music and fostering the next generation of creators. We are grateful to PepsiCo Juntos Crecemos for their unwavering support and continued passion to celebrating Latin music and its cultural heritage,” said Raquel “Rocky” Egusquiza, Executive Director of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. “Together, we are able to broaden our reach and provide support to even more deserving projects in alignment with our mission.”

Awarded Research Grants:

Dr. Manuel Sevilla, Colombia – Archivos y festivales: Aprendizajes de dos casos en Colombia (Archives and Festivals: Learnings from Two Cases in Colombia) delves into the rich cultural heritage of Colombia, analyzing innovative practices in archive creation, the roles of key stakeholders, and the ways archives are utilized to strengthen musical ecosystems. This initiative focuses on two celebrated festivals: the Festival de Música del Pacífico Petronio Álvarez (The Pacific Music Festival Petronio Álvarez) in Cali and the Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata (Vallenato Legend Festival) in Valledupar. Both festivals honor musical traditions recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, highlighting their significance in preserving and celebrating Colombia’s vibrant cultural legacy.

Jorge Benavides, Honduras – Dügü Inaudito: Salvaguardia del Legado Ancestral Garífuna (Inaudible Dügü: Safeguarding the Ancestral Garífuna Legacy) is an initiative dedicated to revitalizing the Garífuna language, music, and dance—proudly recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. According to UNESCO, these practices face significant risks due to discrimination and the declining transmission of the Garífuna language. This project, developed in collaboration with Tambor Negro, will document the Dügü, an ancestral ceremony that embodies the essence of Garífuna intangible heritage. The findings will contribute to the broader Indigenous Languages Project led by the CCET and will also be integrated into the MUSIDANSE Institute at the University of Paris 8, ensuring global recognition and preservation of this invaluable cultural legacy.

Caio de Souza, Brazil – Sonic Transductions: Revisiting Lorenzo Dow Turner’s Radioscape in Bahia (1940-1941), an innovative project that seeks to shed light on artistic production, cultural and social fabric, and historical context by bringing to life the groundbreaking recordings made by African-American linguist Lorenzo Dow Turner in Salvador, Bahia, during 1940 and 1941. Through these rediscovered audio treasures, the project will offer fresh perspectives on the artistic production of Bahia’s capital, extending beyond the renowned figures of this pivotal era. The initiative will culminate in a six-episode podcast series, providing an in-depth exploration of these recordings and their enduring significance, inviting listeners to engage with a rich and multifaceted chapter of Brazil’s cultural history.

Awarded Preservation Grants:

Orquesta Experimental de Instrumentos Nativos, Bolivia – The Orquesta Experimental de Instrumentos Nativos (OEIN) (Experimental Orchestra of Native Instruments) has launched an ambitious initiative to preserve and celebrate the country’s indigenous musical heritage. Preservación, Digitalización y Geolocalización de los Registros de Música Indígena Boliviana de Alain Thirion (Preservation, Digitization, and Geolocation of Alain Thirion's Records of Bolivian Indigenous Music) focuses on the preservation, digitization, cataloging, and geolocation of a remarkable collection of recordings made by Australian researcher Alain Thirion in the 1990s. These recordings capture the rich musical traditions of various indigenous communities from Bolivia’s highlands and valleys—many of which face the risk of extinction due to migration, generational shifts, and the pressures of globalization. Through this initiative, the OEIN aims to safeguard and share this invaluable cultural legacy with future generations, ensuring it remains a vibrant part of Bolivia’s national identity.

Andrew Skinner, Daniel Zanessi and Antonio Leguiza, together with the Faculty of Arts and Design of the National University of Cuyo, Argentina – The project Creación de "Archivo de Música Cuyana y Popular Argentina" en La Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (Creation of the 'Archive of Cuyana and Popular Argentine Music' at the National University of Cuyo) is focused on establishing the first public archive of Cuyano and Argentine Popular Music. It aims to recover, preserve, and promote a vast collection of musical recordings that are of immense importance to the Cuyano, Argentine, and Latin American cultures. To form the archive, they have based their efforts on the audio collection of the historic Zanessi Studio, culminating years of preservation projects and institutionalizing the care of this valuable material. From this foundation, they are creating a public space where musicians and their families can contribute their materials to this Creative Commons collection, ensuring its preservation at the National University of Cuyo. As a first contribution, they will present the already digitized audio collection as part of the "Zanessi Collection" project, funded by The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation’s Latin Music Research and Preservation Grant program in 2023. Among the many musical archives, it will include the complete works of Tito Francia, a founding member of the Nueva Canción movement, who collaborated with Mercedes Sosa, Armando Tejada Gómez, Oscar Matus, and revolutionized the aesthetic of Cuyano music, extending his influence across Latin America.

Miguel Díaz y Nicolas Ramirez Salaberry, Paraguay – The Creación de la Fonoteca Memoria Histórica de la Radio Nacional del Paraguay (Creation of the Historical Memory Sound Archive of the National Radio of Paraguay) aims to rescue, safeguard, and promote the preservation of vinyl records from the former radio station's archive. This invaluable collection was discovered during a research project conducted in 2023 by Mg. Nicolás Ramírez Salaberry and Dr. Miguel Díaz Antar, with financial support from the National Secretariat of Culture of Paraguay. Initially, the researchers sought to create an updated inventory of the Radio Nacional del Paraguay's archive for musicological studies. However, they found that no such collection existed. The few remaining and rare records that had survived media changes were scattered and poorly preserved. Through interviews with former staff and directors, it was revealed that much of the archive's material had been looted and disappeared in connection with events surrounding the fall of dictator Alfredo Stroessner in 1989, and the subsequent erasure of files related to the dictatorship. The investigation resulted in the recovery of 120 vinyl records that belonged to the old sound archive and constitute the primary safeguarding material for the current project.

A committee of experts from Latin America, the Iberian Peninsula, and the United States selected the recipients among numerous qualified candidates. Since its inception in 2015, the program has awarded more than $255,000 in grants to support projects, one of which received a Latin GRAMMY® and GRAMMY® Award.

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ABOUT THE LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION:

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established by The Latin Recording Academy®, with the vision of becoming a global champion of music education and empowering communities through Latin music and culture. In 2024 the Foundation celebrates its 10-year anniversary, and during the last decade it has fostered the next generation of Latin music creators through scholarships, education programs and grants that advance Latin music and celebrate its rich cultural heritage. To date, the Foundation has donated more than $10 million dollars with the support of The Latin Recording Academy’s members, artists, corporate sponsors and other generous donors. For additional information, or to donate, please visit latingrammyculturalfoundation.org or our Facebook  page. And follow us @latingrammyfdn on X and Instagram, and at Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation on Facebook and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:

The Latin Recording Academy

Nathalie Alberto

Nathalie.Alberto@grammy.com

305.428.3476