Uptown Partnership, the designated Virginia Main Street organization for the City of Martinsville, is thrilled to announce it has advanced to the public voting phase of the Levitt Music Series Grants. This opportunity could bring a free outdoor music series to Martinsville beginning in 2026.
With funding from the Levitt Foundation—a national social impact funder at the intersection of music, public space, and community building that supports the largest free outdoor concert series in America—Uptown Partnership hopes to qualify as a finalist to receive a multi-year Levitt Music Series Grant. The public is urged to support Martinsville’s proposal by participating in the public voting process, which takes place September 5–15, 2025, at levitt.org/vote or directly at Uptown Partnership’s proposal page: https://vote.levitt.org/locations/uptown-partnership/.
Levitt Music Series Grants are an exciting, multi-year matching grant program created by the Levitt Foundation to bring the joy of free outdoor concerts to towns and cities across the country. For the 2026–2028 grant cycle, the Levitt Foundation will award U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits up to $120,000 over three years (up to $40,000 per year) to produce their own Levitt Music Series: 7–10 free outdoor concerts annually, featuring diverse music genres and professional musicians, activating an underused public space, and creating a vibrant, inclusive community destination for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Uptown Partnership submitted Martinsville’s proposal to present the free music series in Martinsville’s Uptown District. The proposal is now posted on the Levitt Foundation website, where the public can vote and learn more about communities across the country in the running. Each individual may submit one vote for up to five proposals of their choosing.
There are two easy ways to vote:
- Online atorg/vote or on Uptown Partnership’s page: https://vote.levitt.org/locations/uptown-partnership/
- Via text to877-409-5525 using Martinsville’s unique keyword: MVILLE
Reflecting the Levitt Foundation’s mission that all projects be community-driven, the number of online and text votes received for Uptown Partnership will be a key factor in the final grant decision, announced November 18, 2025.
“We’re honored to represent Martinsville on this national stage and to bring our community together through the power of free, live music,” said Spencer Koger, Executive Director of Uptown Partnership. “This opportunity perfectly aligns with our mission as a Main Street organization to revitalize Uptown Martinsville as a thriving destination that connects people, supports businesses, and celebrates our city’s culture and history.”
About Uptown Partnership
Uptown Partnership is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the designated Main Street organization for Martinsville, VA. As part of the Virginia Main Street program, Uptown Partnership leads revitalization efforts through the Four Points of Main Street America: Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion, and Organization. The organization partners with residents, businesses, and community leaders to remove blight, attract entrepreneurs, beautify Uptown, and create a vibrant, welcoming downtown district that fosters community pride and economic opportunity.
About the Levitt Foundation
The Levitt Foundation is a private family foundation that exists to strengthen the social fabric of America. The Foundation supports changemakers and nonprofits across the country to activate underused public spaces through free outdoor concerts, creating welcoming, joyful, and inclusive destinations where the power of free, live music brings people together, fosters belonging and social connections, creates economic opportunity, and invigorates community life. In 2025, Levitt Foundation grantees are presenting 650+ free concerts in more than 50 towns and cities across the country, with a total audience of nearly one million people. Learn more at www.levitt.org.
