Give the gift of connection at Swallow Hill Music
Together, we're raising $250,000 by December 31 to build community through music.
At Swallow Hill Music, we believe in the incredible things music can bring to a life and to a community. It builds friendships, creates belonging, and brings joy that lingers long after the last note fades.
Take Kaulana
After hearing an Irish tune performed at Swallow Hill's annual Teacher Feature, she was inspired to reconnect with music she had loved since childhood. What began as signing up for a tin whistle class became something much more meaningful.
"Being able to play music again has reawakened this part of me that I forgot existed. I forgot how much I love playing and how it makes me feel."
Today, Kaulana isn't just taking lessons. She's playing music at local Irish pubs, meeting new people, and building friendships with fellow musicians. Her Wednesday ensemble has even become a close-knit community, gathering every Sunday to share food, laughter, and hours of music. They lovingly refer to themselves as "Miriam's Chickens"!
"Being able to be a part of this community that I've always dreamed about being a part of, is beyond words."
That's what music can bring to a life. That's what music can inspire in a community.
Kaulana is one of more than 2,000 people who come through the Julie Davis School of Music each year. And her story is just one example of the connections made possible through Swallow Hill.
Across our music school, concerts, community partnerships, early childhood education, music therapy, and outreach programs, we create opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to experience the joy of music together.
This year, we've set an ambitious goal to raise $250,000 by December 31. Reaching it will take all of us.
Today, we're asking you to help welcome the next person through our doors. Someone who may discover a new passion, find lifelong friendships, or reconnect with a part of themselves they thought they'd lost along the way.
Your gift to Swallow Hill Music helps make those moments possible. And for those able to consider increasing their support this year, your generosity can help us reach even further.
Make a gift today and help us open the doors to even more students, artists, families, and music lovers.
Together, we can ensure the music plays on for generations to come.
to build community through music performance, education, and outreach
Founded in 1979, Swallow Hill Music began as an outgrowth of the Denver Folklore Center, a music store in Denver's Swallow Hill neighborhood that offered music lessons and performances to the community in the 1960s and 1970s. When the Folklore Center closed temporarily in the late 1970s, a group of committed volunteers formed SHM as a nonprofit organization. From these humble beginnings, we have grown to become a cultural asset and distinct thread in Colorado's musical fabric.
Building on our legacy and unique strengths (including trusted curation of events, a broad view of acoustic folk music, and communal learning), we are now focused on ensuring we meaningfully welcome new audiences, partners, and cultures into all our programs.
Swallow Hill believes folk music transcends boundaries and speaks to the shared human experience. It is a universal language that knows no barriers of race, income, ability, or zip code. Swallow Hill strives to ensure that music remains an accessible and enriching force for all.
Organization name
Swallow Hill Music
other names
SHM
1979
Tax id (EIN)
84-0781725
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities
Organization Size
Large Organization
Colorado State Tax Credits
Colorado Child Care Credit
Address
71 E. Yale AvenueDenver County, CO, US