Our Story
In November of 2004, founder Angela Guerriero, who had just begun Tempo! Music Therapy Services in PA and NJ, a private practice 2 years prior, decided to start the Tempo! Arts for Life Foundation. This nonprofit came about when she realized that creative arts therapies were a necessity, not just a privileged service. She wanted to support creative arts therapies services for families while maintaining the value of services offered by the private practice. The Tempo! Arts for Life Foundation is about creating awareness, supporting continuing education and creative arts therapies services.
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Originally initiated under a different name, the Tempo! Arts for Life Foundation was founded to help provide creative arts therapies to children, families, schools and organizations who may benefit from these services but may not have the financial means to access them. The Tempo! Arts for Life Foundation offers grants which are open to any resident or organization in New Jersey or Pennsylvania and may be used to fund activities that support our mission statement.
Monies from these grants may be used to enrich the lives of those with disabilities, and their families, and their communities. Some examples of appropriate expenses are music therapy groups, art therapy sessions, and drum circle school programs that are not otherwise covered by insurance or other funding.
Today, over 15 years later this foundation is supporting our community with inclusive arts events, volunteering opportunities, and helping those in need. We believe that the creative arts therapies are a basic human and civil right. Please visit our resources page for more information on the creative arts.
Our Mission
To promote quality research in the creative arts therapies and arts education for students with disabilities.
To provide scholarship opportunities for creative arts therapy students at the post-secondary level.
To promote awareness of the creative arts therapies among school-age students and the general public through scholarship opportunities (posters, essays, song writing contests, and community service projects).
To promote continued education for creative arts therapists and teachers of students with special needs through lectures, mentorship, and supervision.
To provide grants to individuals and organizations to start creative therapy services, or to bridge a gap in funding.