A key component of Law Rocks’ mission is to promote youth music education. In 2023, the Law Rocks Board founded the Music Matters grant, given to a local nonprofit that supports youth music education in each of our US tour cities. Omi Crawford, Executive Director of Law Rocks, says of the grant initiative:
“Law Rocks has always been about championing nonprofits, especially local organizations that make a real difference in their community. The Music Matters grant deepens that commitment, helping support music education organizations nationwide as they change young lives through the power of music. It’s inspiring and exciting to learn more about each organizations work, truly one of the best things about this work!”
Law Rocks lands back in Dallas for the third time on February 26, 2026, rocking Deep Ellum venue TREES. Along with this anticipated return, we are pleased to announce we will be awarding another Music Matters grant to returning recipient, Advisory Board for Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts!
2026 Law Rocks Dallas Music Matters Grant Recipient: Advisory Board for Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing And Visual Arts | Photo by Mike Brooks | Courtesy of BTWHSPVA
BTWHSPVA provides intensive, integrated training to build a bridge to the post-secondary and professional world. We first awarded the organization with a Music Matters grant in 2025, and are thrilled to support the organization again. We recently checked in with Lisa Lawrence, Executive Director of the Advisory Board for Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, to hear what the organization has been up to over the past year.
1) What new successes or milestones have you achieved since we last spoke?
Next year: 2026-2027 …. Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts will celebrate its 50th anniversary -- Fifty years of the legendary Arts Magnet that has produced a stellar list of famous graduates -- including music luminaries such as Erykah Badu, Norah Jones and the late Roy Hargrove.
As we look forward to celebrating this milestone and acknowledging the challenging times we find ourselves in, the Advisory Board is committed to sustainability-- to creating and putting systems in place that will in perpetuity support this public school that has been exemplary since day one -- a sustainable model to ensure that the historical excellence that has never wavered is protected, despite what may or may not be happening in the cultural and political zeitgeist. . Booker T. has proved time and again that excellence is the standard. And what is possible when a community rises up to support its own.
In celebration of 50 years, the Advisory Board is announcing the ArtsMagnet50
Fund -- a $5MM endowment that will guarantee, in perpetuity, a minimum of $150,000 annually for individual need based student grants.
This endowment will secure funding for generations ,providing both the possibility and the hope that one day 100% of the needs of Booker T.’s deserving students can be met.
2) Can you share an example of how your programs or initiatives have positively impacted the community in the past year?
Last year, the Advisory Board administered approximately $448K in quantifiable financial assistance, grants, scholarships, programs, equipment and initiatives that directly benefited the students, faculty, admin and staff of BTW – Thanks to the generosity of our Community. Approximately $280,216 of that total was awarded directly to Individual Students via need-based grants providing everything from ballet slippers and musical instruments to college application fees , summer intensive training tuition to travel assistance for auditions. These game changing services and opportunities – as well as the resulting incredible success at Booker T. -- would not happen without you, and those like you!
Last spring, 100% of Booker T’s students graduated. And the 231 students in the Class of 2025 earned $40 million dollars in scholarships. This stellar class included 2 YoungArts Presidential Scholar Semi-Finalists, 1 YoungArts Winner, 4 YoungArts Winners with Distinction, 1 National Merit Semifinalists and 4 National Merit Commended Scholars.
Sending out these 231 young artist scholars into the world – creative, empathic, intelligent, problem solvers -- will better our schools, hospitals, government, cultural and civic institutions – and we will all be the beneficiaries.
Photo by Mike Brooks | Courtesy of BTWHSPVA
3) Have any new programs or initiatives been introduced since our last conversation that you are particularly excited about?
Yes! The ArtsMagnet50 Fund.
4) What has been the most rewarding aspect of your work over the past year?
Every year, seeing the list of colleges/universities and conservatories that our most recent graduates will attend is both awe-inspiring and gratifying.
A few of the Colleges/Universities Class of 2025 are currently attending include: The Juilliard School, Stanford University, Princeton University, USC, Pratt Institute for Fine Arts, SCAD, Ohio State University, Middlebury College, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, PACE University, Marymount Manhattan College, Indiana University, Chapman University, Fordham University, Syracuse University, University of North Texas, Colorado State University, Carnegie Mellon University, NYU, DePaul University, Howard University, Grambling State University, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, The University of Hartford, Appalachian State University, Cal Arts, New School, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Columbia College Chicago, University of San Francisco, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, University of Virginia, Bucknell University, Pomona College, The Schulich School of Music at McGill University, UT, Point Park University, Rutgers University, TCU, SMU, LSU, OU, Loyola University, Tulane University, Albion College, The University of Arizona, Oberlin Conservatory of Music, OSU, Texas A&M and many others.
5) What are you most looking forward to in the coming year?
Upcoming performance events such as Law Rocks, Booker T Live x Jambaloo (2/15/26) and Flyinghorse 2026 (4/24/26) -- All opportunities for our Community to be introduced firsthand to the inimitable, infectious energy that is Booker T.!
6) What is your favorite thing about having your organization take part in a Law Rocks event?
The wild, unmatched energy and support of the Dallas Law Community! It is an enormous honor and an absolute blast of an event -- and who knew there were so many attorneys that could ROCK?! THANK YOU
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Learn more about the Advisory Board for Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.
Get tickets to The Third Annual Law Rocks Dallas.