Over the past 12 years, the annual Shine A Light (“SAL”) concert has become a much-anticipated night of electric musical energy. Over 250 extremely talented Wilmington area musicians have performed 500 songs over the years to audiences of over 1,300 people, effectively creating a soundtrack for our city that resonates long after the encore.
But the real magic happens when the stage lights go down.
Shine A Light is the largest annual fundraiser for the Light Up the Queen Foundation, and its statistics for preserving and supporting music learning are impressive. Since its inception in 2012, the Foundation has raised $727,000 toward grants, programming, and operations. The Foundation became a dedicated grant-based organization for music and the arts in Delaware in 2022, at which time it also became an all-volunteer institution. With no payroll, occupancy, or other overhead costs, over $230,000 has directly funded 13 programs in supported organizations, benefiting over 6,500 students.
However, numbers on a spreadsheet don’t tell the whole story. The money raised doesn’t just “go somewhere;” it does something:
- It puts a violin in the hands of a preschooler who has never seen one.
- It funds a bus ride for a student who otherwise would not get to the theater.
- It turns a choir rehearsal into a lesson on financial literacy and entrepreneurship.
When you buy a ticket to Shine a Light this year, you aren’t just paying for a night out. Thanks to the Light Up The Queen Foundation, your ticket becomes an investment in the culture, heritage, and heartbeat of Wilmington, helping to ensure that the next generation of artists, leaders, and innovators have the tools they need to thrive and succeed.
Join us for this year’s Shine a Light on 1986 at the Queen Theater on March 7th. Dress in your favorite mid-80s look and turn your applause into action to keep this worthwhile mission moving forward. Let’s keep the music playing!
