The AVIXA Foundation has named The Loop Lab and Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts as 2026 Brad Sousa Impact Fund grant recipients.
The foundation honored the recipients during InfoComm 2026 in Las Vegas.
Grants support AV workforce programs
The Brad Sousa Impact Fund provides financial support to organizations that use audiovisual (AV) technology and digital tools to support communities.
In addition, the fund supports workforce programs that connect people with AV training and career paths.
“We are proud to recognize The Loop Lab and Highmark Mann for demonstrating how grassroots workforce programs mixed with pro AV tech skills training can be models for measurable, scalable impact on our industry,” says Sarah Joyce, AVIXA chief global officer and AVIXA Foundation executive director. “The Brad Sousa Impact Fund exists to support exactly this kind of transformative work. These organizations lift up communities of untapped AV talent to fill a real need in our industry.”
The Loop Lab expands training pathways
The Loop Lab is a Greater Boston-based nonprofit workforce organization focused on careers in professional AV and digital media.
The organization will use the grant to support media arts and AV workforce training for young adults in Greater Boston and Western Massachusetts.
Apprentices receive project-based instruction in live event production, audio engineering, video production, lighting, digital collaboration workflows, content creation, and AV systems. The program also includes paid fellowships and employer engagement.
Highmark Mann supports pre-apprenticeship program
Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts, a nonprofit performing arts center in Philadelphia’s West Fairmount Park, will use the grant for its Music Industry Pre-Apprenticeship Program (MIAP).
The program combines technical training, workforce readiness, mentorship, and paid on-the-job learning in professional production settings.
Meanwhile, MIAP apprentices rotate through industry partner sites, including production companies, recording studios, theaters, and scenic shops. As a result, participants gain hands-on experience, professional contacts, and transferable workforce skills.
About AVIXA Foundation
AVIXA Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on building the workforce for the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association (AVIXA). The foundation supports career awareness, skills training, scholarships, scholastic support, and pathways into the global AV industry. For more info, visit www.avixa.org/foundation.
Press release submitted by AVIXA. Edited by Exhibit City News for clarity, length, and style.
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