Acclaimed nonprofit residency receives major gift from the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation to support musicians
SPACE on Ryder Farm, a nonprofit residency program and organic farm located on a 224-year-old family homestead in Putnam County, NY, announced the launch of a substantial music initiative thanks to a major gift from the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation on behalf of Posthumous Prodigy Productions. The gift will allow SPACE to significantly deepen and expand its support of musicians across genres beginning in 2019, and will also support a strategic planning process for SPACE’s continued growth and development as the organization begins its ninth year in operation.
The Posthumous Prodigy Productions gift is given in homage to the late Bryan Gallace of Southport, Connecticut. A 2014 graduate of Fairfield Ludlowe High and the Regional Center for the Arts, Bryan was a senior at Berklee College of Music pursuing a B.A. in Professional Music when he tragically passed away at the age of 21. A uniquely talented and dedicated musician from early childhood, Bryan was a guitarist and self-taught drummer who studied jazz and loved rock and roll. He played in several bands including If Looks Could Kill, Fistfight, Shark Rock and Heavy Breath. Bryan was also a fervent supporter of equal rights and progressive causes.
“Music is intrinsically sacred, but this project is even more so,” said Caroline Kellen, SPACE on Ryder Farm board member and a director of the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation. “Bryan’s tragic passing is devastating to everyone that knew him. A light like Bryan can never be allowed to go out and I feel called to be part of transforming this loss into something positive, honor his spirit and the creative potential he carried in life by supporting and amplifying the work of other talented musicians. Most of all, I am comforted knowing that Bryan’s family will be deeply involved in this initiative. They are amazing people and we are so grateful that they are willing to partner with SPACE. I truly believe Bryan will be guiding us.”
The centerpiece of SPACE’s new music initiative is the Bryan Gallace/Posthumous Prodigy Productions Fellowship, an annual award which offers a musician time and space on Ryder Farm to create new work, as well as transformative financial support to be used for professional growth. The recipient of the inaugural Bryan Gallace/Posthumous Prodigy Productions Fellowship is singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, performer and spoken word artist Celisse, who will receive $30,000 to support the recording of her debut full-length album at the legendary Dreamland Recording Studio in Woodstock, NY as well as a residency at SPACE in 2019. The album is due to be released in Fall 2019. More information about Celisse can be found at celissehenderson.com
In addition to the Bryan Gallace/Posthumous Prodigy Productions Fellowship, SPACE is also launching new partnerships during its 2019 season with two major organizations devoted to supporting musicians. SPACE will host an all-female songwriting residency with She Is The Music, a nonprofit aimed at increasing the number of women working across all levels of the music industry. SPACE will also welcome musicians to Ryder Farm through a partnership with Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), the global leader in music rights management serving songwriters, composers, music publishers and businesses.
“Musicians have always been part of the fabric of SPACE on Ryder Farm,” said SPACE Co-Founder and Executive Director Emily Simoness. “As we strive to better serve our residents, musicians have long been a group that we wanted to invest in more deeply. This extraordinary gift from Posthumous Prodigy Productions has truly unlocked a world of potential for the support that we can provide to musicians both on and off of the farm, and has allowed us to build exciting new partnerships with visionary organizations like She Is The Music and BMI. As SPACE enters its ninth residency season and begins to envision our next decade, we are honored and inspired by Bryan’s memory to play a greater role in nurturing the next generation of musicians.”
Other musicians in residence at SPACE on Ryder Farm in 2019 include Or Matias (The Working Farm), The Bengsons (The Family Residency), Asante Amin & Chen Lo, Gabriel Ebert & Brendan Spieth, Grace McLean, Zack Zadek and Georgia Stitt (Creative Residency) and Janelle Lawrence (Greenhouse Residency). For a full list of the 2019 residents and finalists, please visit spaceonryderfarm.org/2019-residents.
Applications for 2020 residencies at SPACE on Ryder Farm will open in late August. Visit spaceonryderfarm.org to learn more.