The Eastern Shore Chamber Music Festival has received two grants totaling $25,300 from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, funding that will support its 2026 Summer Concert Series and provide salary support for its artistic directors.

In a news release festival leaders said the funding will allow the organization to expand its free summer performances and deepen educational outreach for young musicians across Baldwin County, reinforcing the role of arts programming in strengthening local communities and enhancing cultural life in Alabama.

“Being awarded these grants changes everything for the Eastern Shore Chamber Music Festival,” Sahada Buckley and Trace Johnson, artistic directors, said in the release. “With this support from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, we are able to expand our reach across Baldwin County, strengthen our educational programming, and invite more musicians to share world-class chamber music with our community in Fairhope. Buckley and Johnson added that this funding allows the festival to continue fulfilling its mission of providing accessible, high-quality performances while strengthening community engagement through free concerts and outreach opportunities for audiences of all ages. We are deeply grateful to the Alabama State Council on the Arts for this opportunity.”

The 2026 Summer Concert Series will feature nine chamber music performances presented over three weekends from May 29 through June 14. Friday and Saturday concerts are scheduled for 7 p.m., with Sunday performances at 2:30 p.m.

Concerts will take place at venues along the Eastern Shore, including St. James Episcopal Church, the Baldwin County USA Performing Arts Center, St. Francis at the Point Anglican Church and the Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship, among others.

In addition to performances, festival musicians will lead several educational initiatives aimed at young artists in the region. Programs include a “Cello Day” workshop June 3 hosted by visiting artist Benjamin Whitcomb, an interactive event at the Fairhope Public Library on June 6 and a weeklong chamber music workshop for young string players presented in collaboration with the Mobile Symphony Education Department.

Organizers said the grant funding will help the festival reach new audiences, expand access to high-quality programming and underscore the importance of the arts as a key component of quality of life in Alabama.

More information about the concert series and educational programs is available at www.escmf.org.