DISCOVER MUSIC AID
improving lives and helping those in need
ABOUT US
Music Aid is an organization based on the mission of "making the world a better place through music". It launched in 1998 with support from some of the biggest names in music and media at an event attended by over 100,000 people in central London. USA Today described this as "one of the most important new launches in music and media" and awarded musicaid.org Website Of The Year Award. Since then Music Aid has worked with The United Nations, the BBC, Net Aid, the Al Gore Live Earth event and many other events and organizations and partners with some of the world´s biggest brands to support good causes.
Music Aid is the world´s most well know charitable non profit music organization. It works directly with young people and those in need with its own projects and programs and also works in partnership with major organizations, charities, causes and brands worldwide. Music is always at the core of everything it does.
Examples of Music Aid´s direct work include the Child Aid and the Street Aid programs that have directly supported children and families in need in SE Asia and South America and which are expanding into western countries, its School Aid project providing classroom and virtual teachers in impoverished areas and underprivileged communities and schools worldwide, and the new Medic Aid project providing health support and expert advice in those communities. World Concert Day was launched in 2020 raising awareness. support and funds from music performances for local charities and hospices and major international causes such as UNICEF, the United Nations COVID Relief Fund, and anti-pollution initiatives. Music Aid also provides promotional music related support for important global causes such as the Breathe Life Campaign.
Examples of its many partnerships with major organizations, causes and brands include its work with the BBC and the Instrument Amnesty project collecting and distributing donated musical instruments, its promotions of the Al Gore Live Earth concerts event in the USA, its work managing volunteers for the United Nations UNV program, its partnership with the African Diaspora project, its fundraising music sales partnerships with Amazon, Apple Music and iTunes, partnerships with international music events such as the UK Songwriting Contest and with music resource services such as the SCO Song Copyright Organization, and its support for any and all fundraising efforts on behalf of UNICEF.
BACKGROUND AND HISTORY
The organization was formed in November 1997 and registered the following year with the Charities Commission as a UK government registered international charity with the registered name of The World Music Foundation (Charity #1071669). It operated as a registered charity for seven years before changing status in 2005 to an independent international non profit social enterprise. It now operates using the same organizational model as Oxfam International, The Red Cross, One.org, and Bono´s (Product)Red. The organization grew from conversations between Music Aid founder, producer, musician and writer Alan John Hardman and legendary rock guitarist Carlos Santana, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This took place during the week long Rock In Rio 2 event at the Maracanã Stadium. Carlos was there for shows at the Maracanã and Alan was working on press and media and writing features about the concerts and artists for International Musician Magazine and other major publications. Both men shared a passionate interest in the different ways that music could be used for good, and they had conversations and shared ideas between shows during that week, discussing what could be achieved, how they could do this, and what directions they could take. Carlos returned to the USA and formed the Milagro Foundation, and Alan returned to London to form Music Aid.
LAUNCH AND MISSION
The Music Aid launch event was impressive and lasted for seven days, with a festival that spread over the entire third floor and many other sections of the huge Whiteley´s complex in central London. This large launch event was sponsored by Whiteley´s, AOL and Tower Records and supported by Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood and many celebrities from music and film with displays of guitars and album covers signed by Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Oasis, Nirvana, Bono and many others. Daily live music and dance performances, artwork from Andy Warhol and John Lennon and other major artists, and visitors numbering over 100,000 ensured a great start. Many famous celebrities and musicians were spotted wandering around the exhibitions, mingling with the crowds. Some personally brought along personal items to donate, sell and display, and others, for example the Film Director Peter Howitt, purchased items from the other supporters (Peter for example bought rare Beatles photos from Paul McCartney´s sister Mary). Note: Music Aid hopes to be involved with Peter´s new 2021 movie about the Covid-19 pandemic - "Lock Down".
Music Aid´s mission is clear and direct: "To make the world a better place through music". The funds raised from the launch event helped children in need and provided hundreds of poor village children in SE Asia with school shoes (a main reason many children were not attending school was because they could not afford the black school shoes demanded by the local schools). Additional help with school fees, uniforms, school bags, books etc allowed many children to start school for the first time and supported others in difficulty to continue attending. In 2021 Music Aid returns to the same region to establish a permanent center to continue this work (it will be named in honor of an original Music Aid Indonesia team member who lost her life in the GermanWings Flight 9525 Barcelona / Dusseldorf airline tragedy). Other projects have included working with street children and their homeless parents, partnerships with the United Nations Volunteers providing support for thousands of United Nations and Net Aid volunteers working in poverty relief worldwide, partnerships with the BBC and others providing musical instruments to underprivileged children in the joint Instrument Amnesty Project, promotions with the Al Gore Live Earth event, the founding and launch of the annual World Concert Day benefit event, and more. In 2021 Music Aid launches a new global project to provide free music education, teachers and resources to underprivileged children and adults in classes, schools and communities worldwide.
Music Aid is the world´s most well know charitable non profit music organization. It works directly with young people and those in need with its own projects and programs and also works in partnership with major organizations, charities, causes and brands worldwide. Music is always at the core of everything it does.
Examples of Music Aid´s direct work include the Child Aid and the Street Aid programs that have directly supported children and families in need in SE Asia and South America and which are expanding into western countries, its School Aid project providing classroom and virtual teachers in impoverished areas and underprivileged communities and schools worldwide, and the new Medic Aid project providing health support and expert advice in those communities. World Concert Day was launched in 2020 raising awareness. support and funds from music performances for local charities and hospices and major international causes such as UNICEF, the United Nations COVID Relief Fund, and anti-pollution initiatives. Music Aid also provides promotional music related support for important global causes such as the Breathe Life Campaign.
Examples of its many partnerships with major organizations, causes and brands include its work with the BBC and the Instrument Amnesty project collecting and distributing donated musical instruments, its promotions of the Al Gore Live Earth concerts event in the USA, its work managing volunteers for the United Nations UNV program, its partnership with the African Diaspora project, its fundraising music sales partnerships with Amazon, Apple Music and iTunes, partnerships with international music events such as the UK Songwriting Contest and with music resource services such as the SCO Song Copyright Organization, and its support for any and all fundraising efforts on behalf of UNICEF.
BACKGROUND AND HISTORY
The organization was formed in November 1997 and registered the following year with the Charities Commission as a UK government registered international charity with the registered name of The World Music Foundation (Charity #1071669). It operated as a registered charity for seven years before changing status in 2005 to an independent international non profit social enterprise. It now operates using the same organizational model as Oxfam International, The Red Cross, One.org, and Bono´s (Product)Red. The organization grew from conversations between Music Aid founder, producer, musician and writer Alan John Hardman and legendary rock guitarist Carlos Santana, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This took place during the week long Rock In Rio 2 event at the Maracanã Stadium. Carlos was there for shows at the Maracanã and Alan was working on press and media and writing features about the concerts and artists for International Musician Magazine and other major publications. Both men shared a passionate interest in the different ways that music could be used for good, and they had conversations and shared ideas between shows during that week, discussing what could be achieved, how they could do this, and what directions they could take. Carlos returned to the USA and formed the Milagro Foundation, and Alan returned to London to form Music Aid.
LAUNCH AND MISSION
The Music Aid launch event was impressive and lasted for seven days, with a festival that spread over the entire third floor and many other sections of the huge Whiteley´s complex in central London. This large launch event was sponsored by Whiteley´s, AOL and Tower Records and supported by Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood and many celebrities from music and film with displays of guitars and album covers signed by Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Oasis, Nirvana, Bono and many others. Daily live music and dance performances, artwork from Andy Warhol and John Lennon and other major artists, and visitors numbering over 100,000 ensured a great start. Many famous celebrities and musicians were spotted wandering around the exhibitions, mingling with the crowds. Some personally brought along personal items to donate, sell and display, and others, for example the Film Director Peter Howitt, purchased items from the other supporters (Peter for example bought rare Beatles photos from Paul McCartney´s sister Mary). Note: Music Aid hopes to be involved with Peter´s new 2021 movie about the Covid-19 pandemic - "Lock Down".
Music Aid´s mission is clear and direct: "To make the world a better place through music". The funds raised from the launch event helped children in need and provided hundreds of poor village children in SE Asia with school shoes (a main reason many children were not attending school was because they could not afford the black school shoes demanded by the local schools). Additional help with school fees, uniforms, school bags, books etc allowed many children to start school for the first time and supported others in difficulty to continue attending. In 2021 Music Aid returns to the same region to establish a permanent center to continue this work (it will be named in honor of an original Music Aid Indonesia team member who lost her life in the GermanWings Flight 9525 Barcelona / Dusseldorf airline tragedy). Other projects have included working with street children and their homeless parents, partnerships with the United Nations Volunteers providing support for thousands of United Nations and Net Aid volunteers working in poverty relief worldwide, partnerships with the BBC and others providing musical instruments to underprivileged children in the joint Instrument Amnesty Project, promotions with the Al Gore Live Earth event, the founding and launch of the annual World Concert Day benefit event, and more. In 2021 Music Aid launches a new global project to provide free music education, teachers and resources to underprivileged children and adults in classes, schools and communities worldwide.
Ronnie Wood
Many famous names were involved in the Music Aid launch including Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood who donated his own artwork in support. Funds were raised from the sale of music memorabilia, original artworks and signed guitars and album covers from Paul McCartney, John Lee Hooker, Oasis, Prince, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Bono and many others.
The launch event was sponsored by AOL, Tower Records and Whiteley´s of London and occupied an entire floor of the Whiteley's center in central London. It ran for seven days and was attended by over 100,000 people who enjoyed a week of art exhibits, daily live music and dance shows.
The launch event was sponsored by AOL, Tower Records and Whiteley´s of London and occupied an entire floor of the Whiteley's center in central London. It ran for seven days and was attended by over 100,000 people who enjoyed a week of art exhibits, daily live music and dance shows.
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The Music Aid launch event holds the record for the largest exhibition of music related art staged anywhere in the world with valuable original works on display by Andy Warhol, John Lennon, Peter Max and many others.
Funds raised at the event provided schooling and aid for hundreds of poor village children in rural SE Asia and funded The World Music Foundation which operated for over six years as an official UK Government Registered International Charity working with the United Nations UNV online volunteer project and the Net Aid initiative in the areas of poverty relief and education. Music Aid continues working in these same areas and also focuses increasingly on the issues of climate change and air pollution, and has recently focused on the Covid-19 Global Pandemic Crisis. |
Whiteleys. Music Aid launch site.
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MUSIC AID TODAY
In 2020 Music Aid launched the annual World Concert Day event, which took place on April 26. Thousands of musicians and fans raised funds for local hospices, medical causes, local charities, the WHO Covid Relief Fund, and other charities during the height of the Covid-19 Global Pandemic. Other current projects include a record label and the musicaid.app - a non profit music resource and music store in partnership with Apple and Amazon.com and other industry partners with all proceeds supporting good causes. An educational project - The Music Aid International Academy of Music - goes public in 2021 providing free music education to underprivileged children in classes, schools and poor communities worldwide. There is also a current web TV channel in start up to provide free music resources, courses and lessons to musicians and students, provide entertainment, and promote various charitable causes.
PARTNERS AND CAUSES
Music Aid has partnered with many charities and causes and has raised funds to support them. It also partners with music industry brands and events: for example the Music Aid Music Store App partners with iTunes, Amazon and Apple Music among others. A number of international music events and businesses such as The UK Songwriting Contest, The International Songwriting Awards and The Song Copyright Organization also partner with Music Aid as fundraisers and donors. Through these partnerships Music Aid has provided resources and educational support to many thousands of musicians; provided schooling and aid to poor village children in SE Asia; was an official project manager with The United Nations UNV Project and in this capacity managed hundreds of UNV volunteers worldwide with the United Nations and Net Aid; it distributed free musical instruments through the "Instrument Amnesty" Project together with The BBC; it has helped and supported thousands of people wishing to enter the music industry worldwide; it founded and launched the SCO International Song Copyright Organization (SongCopyright.org); produced and organized the Music Aid 2006, Music Aid 2007 and Music Aid 2009, Music Aid 2017 and Music Aid 2020 International Music Awards events where over $500,000 in prizes have been shared among participants. Music Aid has also promoted and supported many charity music benefit events including Al Gore's Live Earth Event and supported other aid projects on four continents. Music Aid is committed to improving lives and supporting those in need, helping vulnerable children, and fighting and raising awareness of climate change and pollution, especially air pollution. In 2021 Music Aid launches a new global project to provide high quality free music education to over 100,000 underprivileged children and adults in classes, schools and underprivileged communities worldwide.
Volunteers, partners, producers, web developers, charities and good causes who would like to join and work with Music Aid are welcome to contact Music Aid International using the contact form on this website.
In 2020 Music Aid launched the annual World Concert Day event, which took place on April 26. Thousands of musicians and fans raised funds for local hospices, medical causes, local charities, the WHO Covid Relief Fund, and other charities during the height of the Covid-19 Global Pandemic. Other current projects include a record label and the musicaid.app - a non profit music resource and music store in partnership with Apple and Amazon.com and other industry partners with all proceeds supporting good causes. An educational project - The Music Aid International Academy of Music - goes public in 2021 providing free music education to underprivileged children in classes, schools and poor communities worldwide. There is also a current web TV channel in start up to provide free music resources, courses and lessons to musicians and students, provide entertainment, and promote various charitable causes.
PARTNERS AND CAUSES
Music Aid has partnered with many charities and causes and has raised funds to support them. It also partners with music industry brands and events: for example the Music Aid Music Store App partners with iTunes, Amazon and Apple Music among others. A number of international music events and businesses such as The UK Songwriting Contest, The International Songwriting Awards and The Song Copyright Organization also partner with Music Aid as fundraisers and donors. Through these partnerships Music Aid has provided resources and educational support to many thousands of musicians; provided schooling and aid to poor village children in SE Asia; was an official project manager with The United Nations UNV Project and in this capacity managed hundreds of UNV volunteers worldwide with the United Nations and Net Aid; it distributed free musical instruments through the "Instrument Amnesty" Project together with The BBC; it has helped and supported thousands of people wishing to enter the music industry worldwide; it founded and launched the SCO International Song Copyright Organization (SongCopyright.org); produced and organized the Music Aid 2006, Music Aid 2007 and Music Aid 2009, Music Aid 2017 and Music Aid 2020 International Music Awards events where over $500,000 in prizes have been shared among participants. Music Aid has also promoted and supported many charity music benefit events including Al Gore's Live Earth Event and supported other aid projects on four continents. Music Aid is committed to improving lives and supporting those in need, helping vulnerable children, and fighting and raising awareness of climate change and pollution, especially air pollution. In 2021 Music Aid launches a new global project to provide high quality free music education to over 100,000 underprivileged children and adults in classes, schools and underprivileged communities worldwide.
Volunteers, partners, producers, web developers, charities and good causes who would like to join and work with Music Aid are welcome to contact Music Aid International using the contact form on this website.
