Intersections Program

Black Violin Foundation’s Intersections Program invites youth ages 9 -18 in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties to discover the joy of music through free, high-quality weekly violin lessons. Designed for strategically marginalized and autistic students who may face financial or systemic barriers, the program creates a welcoming space where young musicians can grow their skills, build confidence, and connect with their community.

After partnering with the Florida Youth Orchestra to provide lessons to students at North Andrews Gardens, and Meadowbrook Elementary School with lessons, in the 2024/2025 school year we were able to expand the program to two additional elementary schools. The 2025/2026 school year will be BVF Inc.'s 4th consecutive year of hosting this program and we intend to take the program to local community centers.

Through this program young people are introduced to classical arts who otherwise might not have access through a free performance by professional classical musicians, and are given the skills to work toward performing in front of their community, peers and loved ones at 2026 Dreamer Arts Festival.

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The Intersections Program is now open to youth aged 9 - 18. For the 2025/2026 school year, free weekly 90-minute violin lessons will be offered at the following community locations:

• Coral Springs Center for the Arts
  2855 Coral Springs Drive, Coral Springs, FL 33065
  Tuesday 3:30pm - 5:00pm

Start Date: November 4

(For students with autism only. Students must be able to sit through the lesson and follow instructions. Students may be nonverbal, and students with higher support needs can be accepted as long as a parent or guardian can accompany them.)

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• Lauderhill Historical Museum
  1080 NW 47th Ave, Lauderhill, FL 33313
  Wednesday @ 5:00pm – 6:30pm
  Start Date: November 5

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• The Freedom Lab
  4300 NW 12th Ave, Miami, FL 33127
  Tuesdays @ 5:00pm – 6:30pm
  Start Date: November 4

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Application deadline: October 28

This initiative was created by Kev Marcus and Wil Baptiste of Black Violin, who have effectively used their genre-bending music and performance to challenge the perception of who has access to the classical arts, what a violin can sound like, and to stretch the boundaries of Black creativity. The intention of this program is to build a strong violin pipeline that includes BIPOC youth and other financially marginalized young people who are traditionally locked out of the classical arts. Through Intersections, youth not only gain musical skills but also build confidence, emotional awareness, and a sense of belonging, especially students with autism, who thrive in supportive, creative environments.