Wavemakers Awards $35,000 to Austin’s Women Musicians 40+ in Inaugural Grant Program

Austin-based Women in Music 40+ that supports seasoned female musicians, expanded its inaugural "5 for 5 in '25" Grant Program awards from $25K to $35K.

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, April 1, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Wavemakers - Women in Music 40+, the Austin-based organization dedicated to championing and supporting seasoned female musicians, has announced the winners of its inaugural "5 for 5 in '25" Grant Program—and in an inspiring turn of events, more women are receiving support than originally planned.

Originally set to award five grants of $5,000 each, Wavemakers expanded its reach after witnessing the remarkable talent in its applicant pool. Instead of five, six women were selected to receive $5,000 each toward completing a music project in 2025. But the generosity didn’t stop there—Wavemakers also introduced five additional $1,000 grants, four awarded to outstanding applicants and a fifth chosen randomly from the remaining applicant pool during the Wavemakers Grant Winners Celebration on March 29.

"We were absolutely blown away by the depth of talent and passion among our applicants," said Wavemakers Founder Lurleen Ladd. "We couldn’t limit ourselves to just five grants. By awarding six major grants and adding five more at $1,000 each, we’re expanding our mission to uplift and support even more women musicians in Austin."

The “First Wave” of Wavemakers Grants was open to women musicians over 40 based in or near Austin, TX. Applications were accepted from February 5 – March 1, 2025, with winners carefully selected by the Wavemakers team and announced at the celebratory March 29th event.

The inaugural “First Wave” $5K Grant winners are:
Alice Spencer
Alison Tucker
Chantel Deniese
Qi Dada
Leslie Sisson (of Moving Panoramas)
Stephanie “Estani” Frizzell

The additional $1K Grant winners are:
Kimberly “Trashy Annie”
Vanessa Lively
Giulia Millanta
Hope Irish
Stella Maxwell (of Stella and the Very Messed)

Launched in 2023, Wavemakers is on a mission to break barriers for female artists over 40 all over the world, forging career-changing connections and creating lucrative opportunities. Beyond the grant program, Wavemakers continues to empower its members through initiatives like:

🎵 Quarterly Curated Playlists – Each themed playlist showcases 12 hand-selected songs by Wavemakers artists, amplifying their music across streaming platforms, social media, and community channels. Female musicians over 40 worldwide can submit for consideration, with some playlists offering potential licensing opportunities. Submission is exclusive to Wavemakers members—membership is free.

📢 Industry Networking & Showcases – Providing exclusive access to industry leaders, brand collaborations, and performance opportunities that spotlight seasoned women artists.

Visit the Wavemakers website periodically for exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, following the inspiring journeys of the Wavemakers grantees—their music, stories, and the transformative process of bringing their music projects to life.

For more Wavemakers initiatives and updates, visit the Wavemakers website at wwimusic.com.

Beatrice Kimmel
EMPKT Media Inc.
+1 917-848-0919
beatrice@empktmedia.com