Newport Festivals Foundation Announces Creation of Instrument Donation Program

Newport Festivals Foundation Announces Creation of Instrument Donation Program

Newport Festivals Foundation has teamed with Rick’s Musical Instruments of Cumberland to create a program that will put instruments the public schools in Rhode Island.

 “We wanted to create a program that does three things: supports music education programs in RI Public Schools, supports our local music shops, and provides our festival community with a way to give back. As a nonprofit that supports music education, our generous fans constantly ask if we take used instruments. Our answer up until now has been, ‘we just don't have the expertise to fix or store them.’  By partnering with Rick’s and Bravo, we found the solution,” said Jay Sweet, Executive Producer of Newport Festivals.

The Program

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Starting on Monday, May 20, all are welcome to bring gently-used instruments to Rick’s Musical Instruments or Bravo Musical Instruments in Rehoboth, MA, for evaluation.

Newport Festivals Foundation will cover the costs to refurbish and/or make minor repairs, and when the instrument is ready, will match it with a public school in Rhode Island. 

Donated instruments must be hand-delivered to Rick’s or Bravo Musical Instruments.

Rick’s will evaluate each instrument and decide if they are suitable for repair. 

“For us, it was an easy decision. We have all the instrument repair technicians and the storage space needed to house the instruments that the Newport Festivals Foundation will be collecting. The goal for us is, and always has been, to promote school music band programs. This is a great way to get instruments that are not in "playing condition", back up to par and in the hands of students who will bring them back to life! We are thrilled to partner with such a wonderful foundation to help keep music alive in the local school systems,” said Richard J. Verfaille, owner of Rick’s and Bravo.

Newport Festivals Foundation is encouraging Rhode Island public school teachers and administrators to contact the Foundation at [email protected] with any instrument needs. 

Instrument drop-off points are:

Rick's Musical Instruments

2352 Mendon Road, Cumberland, RI 02864

Bravo Musical Instruments

Mills Plaza II, 492 Winthrop Street #8, Rehoboth, MA 02769