Children’s Chorus Receives Impact 100 Grant to Make Arts Accessible Through Transportation
Pensacola, Fla. – October 2026 – The Pensacola Children’s Chorus (PCC) has been awarded a coveted Impact 100 grant to expand access to music education and live performances throughout Northwest Florida. The grant supports Driven to Sing, an initiative designed to remove transportation barriers for children and bring the joy of choral music directly into the community.
“This project is about making sure a child’s opportunity to sing isn’t determined by whether their family has a car,” Alex Gartner, Artistic & Executive Director, said. “We work hard to remove every barrier a child and family could face. This grant will help us remove the final hurdle of transportation.”
Impact 100 funds will be used to secure a 15-passenger van which will provide reliable transportation for young singers from under-resourced families. The vehicle will help children access rehearsals, concerts, and other opportunities that will foster their musical learning, personal growth, and sense of belonging. Included in the project is the purchase of new portable performance equipment to bring PCC’s concerts more easily into the community.
“Accessibility has to work in both directions,” Gartner said. “We want children to be able to get to us, and we want to bring our singers to the people and neighborhoods that may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience a performance. Through this project, we can do both. Thank you, Impact 100!”
Transportation services are expected to be fully operational by August 2027.
About the Pensacola Children’s Chorus
The Pensacola Children’s Chorus (PCC) is a non-profit, community-based arts education program which uses music and performance to inspire and nurture a new generation of young leaders. Serving 300 young musicians from over 60 schools across Northwest Florida and Southwest Alabama, PCC uses music education to provide opportunities for personal growth, friendship and community service. Formally established 1990 as a program of the Pensacola Symphony, the now-independent organization continues to pursue diversity of talent, repertoire and performance to enhance and enliven the cultural fabric of our community. To fulfill its role as the preeminent regional youth music education program, PCC presents a full season of outreach, educational programs and performances each year for thousands of children, youth and adults.
