As part of its global efforts to elevate music to bring people together, promote peace, and support the creative economy, the U.S. Department of State, in partnership with the Recording Academy®, announced today the launch of the inaugural American Music Mentorship Program (AMMP). This mentorship program brings together a cohort of 20 mid-level music professionals – producers, executives, lawyers, talent agents, and music tour and event promoters – from Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria with Recording Academy experts, leveraging their knowledge and networks to expand access to economic opportunity and equity through the creative economy.
AMMP, which is a deliverable of the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, will focus on key industry topics such as intellectual property rights and the impact of artificial intelligence and feature a dedicated forum on women in the music industry. Following the Los Angeles portion, international mentees and their American mentors will continue to engage virtually throughout the year, working together to strengthen their local music industries and contribute to the local, regional, and global creative economies.
The Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, launched by Secretary of State Antony Blinken in September 2023, promotes peace and democracy through music. The initiative also supports broader U.S. foreign policy goals to expand access to education, economic opportunity and equity, and societal inclusion.