GRAMMY Museum Receives $2M Donation from Ray Charles

The GRAMMY Museum Foundation™ received a $2M donation from The Ray Charles Foundation. To celebrate this gift and honor Ray Charles’ lasting legacy as one of the most iconic and celebrated artists of all time, the GRAMMY Museum^® will rename their rooftop terrace The Ray Charles Terrace at the GRAMMY Museum. Funds from this gift will go towards the Museum’s Campaign For Music Education, which launched in October 2022 and aims to expand access to the Museum’s education programs, including GRAMMY In The Schools^® programming.

An official GRAMMY^® Week event honoring the terrace renaming will take place the evening of Mon, Jan. 29, 6:30-9 p.m. ahead of the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards^®. The ribbon-cutting celebration, hosted by GRAMMY-winning producer Jimmy Jam, will feature a red carpet, cocktail reception, music curation by GRAMMY-winning DJ Khalil, and a performance by GRAMMY nominee Aloe Blacc, who will perform some of Ray Charles’ biggest hits.

The GRAMMY Museum’s rooftop terrace serves as an incredible resource for the Museum and the community, boasting phenomenal 180-degree views of Downtown Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign, and hosting more than 150 events each year, making it one of the most sought-after venues in Downtown Los Angeles.

“The GRAMMY Museum embodies the spirit of our mission to empower young people through education,” says Valerie Ervin, President of The Ray Charles Foundation. “We are thrilled to be able to continue our partnership with the Museum and help them achieve their goal of expanding music education and fostering a love of music in our next generation.”

“As the GRAMMY Museum celebrates our 15th Anniversary, more than ever we are leaning into expanding music education and access to our renowned programs,” said Michael Sticka, President/CEO of the GRAMMY Museum. “We are incredibly grateful to our partners, The Ray Charles Foundation, for their generosity and investment towards the Museum’s Campaign for Music Education, which will help us further our educational mission. It’s an honor to deepen our longstanding relationship.”