About The Foundation

At The Plimpton Foundation, we believe that music is essential to connecting people, telling stories, and building communities. Our work is rooted in a simple but profound goal: to lift up voices that have too often been left out of the conversation, especially Native and Indigenous artists.

The Plimpton Foundation was born out of a moment of reflection and urgency in 2020, as the Black Lives Matter movement brought renewed attention to issues of equity and representation across all parts of society, including the arts. Conductor and pianist Timothy Long, a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, began receiving countless requests from colleagues and institutions who wanted to highlight underrepresented Native American performers and composers but didn’t know where to begin. In partnership with Randy Plimpton, who shared a vision for building a more inclusive future, and with the administrative guidance from Director of Operations Anna Louise Martin, they established the Foundation to create opportunities, resources, and lasting platforms for Native and other underrepresented artists to be seen, heard, and celebrated.

We’re proud to support projects that bring these voices to the stage and into the repertoire for generations to come. Our North American Indigenous Songbook is at the heart of this work, commissioning and publishing new music by Indigenous composers and helping those works find their way into concert halls and classrooms across North America. Through scholarships, prizes like the Timothy Long Prize, and meaningful partnerships with artists and institutions, we’re creating opportunities for emerging musicians to thrive and share their gifts with the world.

We hope to build more than an organization, but rather a community of people who care deeply about building a more inclusive and vibrant future for the performing arts. We are passionate about building spaces for Native voices to gather and create. Together with our partners and supporters, we’re working to make sure that every voice has a chance to be heard, celebrated, and remembered.