The City of Burnaby has been awarded the Creative City Network of Canada’s I.D.E.A. Award, recognizing the outstanding impact of the Harmony for All program, which supports Burnaby residents with free instrument lending, no-cost music outreach programs for community groups and scholarships to participate in music lessons.
“Music has a tremendous power to uplift and improve people’s lives, but too often financial barriers get in the way of allowing everyone to experience the joy of learning to play music themselves,” said Mayor Mike Hurley. “That’s why we’re so proud to see Harmony for All recognized by the Creative City Network of Canada. Congratulations to all the staff who have contributed to the success of this program.”
The I.D.E.A. award recognizes significant contributions by an individual, organization, or municipality working in the cultural sector that exemplifies the principles of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility through cultural programs.
The Harmony for All initiative, inspired by Burnaby City Councilor and musician Joe Keithley, launched in 2022.
Since the launch of the program, the City has refurbished 618 donated instruments, with 363 instruments currently on loan to individuals and organizations in the community. The City began providing musical scholarships through Harmony for All in 2023, and 24 individuals have received scholarships to advance their musical education. Over 2,500 residents have benefitted from this program since 2022.
The program is supported by the Burnaby Firefighters Charitable Association, which has made a 10-year commitment to donate a total of $100,000 towards the scholarship fund.
Learn More: Harmony for All