Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit wins $500,000 from Lewis Prize for Music

DeLashea Strawder says she “cried for four days” when she got the big news.

Strawder, head of Detroit’s Mosaic Youth Theatre, learned that her organization had been selected by the Lewis Prize for Music as a 2021 Accelerator Award winner — with $500,000 in multiyear funding attached.

The grant, publicly announced Tuesday by the Lewis Prize, is earmarked to fund expanded mentorship, access and transportation for Mosaic’s students, who create music, dance and theater productions through a series of ensemble programs and residencies.

“It’s so important for young people, especially in times like these, that they know people see them, hear them and support them — and that we can continue to expand our programs to offer more of those opportunities,” Strawder said. “It literally makes my heart sing.”

Two Detroit youth programs vie for $500,000 grants from Lewis Prize for Music

The annual Lewis Prize for Music was established three years ago by Miami philanthropist Daniel Lewis with a focus on low-income and marginalized communities. The program aims to boost “music education, strengthen the well-being of their communities and put music at the center of efforts to establish equity,” the group said in a statement.