Playing For Change

Playing For Change
Name	Playing For Change
Founded	2007
Founders	Mark Johnson, Whitney Kroenke, and others
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	Santa Monica, California

Playing For Change is an international multimedia project and nonprofit organization that records and promotes street musicians and cultural performances across global urban and rural settings. It produces collaborative audio and video recordings, supports music education initiatives, and operates community programs intended to preserve musical traditions and foster social change. The project has become known for high-profile video performances, touring ensembles, and a global network of schools and partnerships.

History

Playing For Change emerged from field recordings and mobile studio work initiated by audio engineer Mark Johnson, with cofounder Whitney Kroenke joining to expand organizational capacity. Early field sessions took place in locations such as New Orleans, Lima, Cape Town, Istanbul, Accra, and Havana, linking street performers to sessions recorded in Los Angeles, New York City, London, Paris, and Berlin. The first widely circulated video, featuring a rendition of a traditional song, was filmed in public spaces and edited to combine performances from artists in Mumbai, Nairobi, Buenos Aires, Rome, and Mexico City. Over time the initiative formed ties with cultural institutions including Smithsonian Institution, festivals like Glastonbury Festival, and venues such as Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall where ensemble performances have taken place.

Mission and Activities

The organization states aims of celebrating cultural diversity, preserving musical heritage, and supporting grassroots music education. Activities include on-location recording sessions with street artists from cities such as Seoul, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Lagos, and Jakarta; production of high-definition videos edited in studios in Santa Monica and Los Angeles; and formation of touring ensembles that have performed at events like Coachella Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Newport Folk Festival, and national television appearances on programs associated with BBC, NPR, and PBS. Partnerships have been formed with nonprofit networks including UNICEF, UNESCO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and arts organizations such as National Endowment for the Arts.

Music Projects and Recordings

Recording projects span genres from folk, blues, and reggae to classical, Afrobeat, and flamenco. Notable tracks and video projects have featured arrangements of songs associated with artists and works like Bob Marley compositions, Muddy Waters–style blues, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan–inspired qawwali, and renditions reminiscent of Buena Vista Social Club ensembles. Studio albums and live releases have been distributed on labels and platforms linked to entities such as Sony Music, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, and independent distributors. Collaborations and covers have drawn attention alongside releases by artists like Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson, Carlos Santana, Alicia Keys, and Herbie Hancock during joint performances and benefit concerts.

Educational and Community Programs

The nonprofit arm runs music schools, instrument donation drives, and teacher-training initiatives in communities across continents. Programs include community music centers in locations such as Kolkata, Lima, Johannesburg, Riga, and Manila; curriculum partnerships with educational institutions like Juilliard School, Royal Conservatory of Music, and public programs associated with Los Angeles Unified School District. The organization coordinates with local NGOs and foundations including Save the Children, Oxfam, Room to Read, and municipal cultural departments to implement workshops, scholarships, and youth ensembles.

Impact and Reception

Playing For Change has been praised for raising visibility of street musicians from places like Soweto, Varanasi, Antananarivo, and Cusco, and for using media to create cross-cultural narratives. Critics and commentators in outlets connected to institutions like The New York Times, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, and Billboard have debated issues of representation, cultural appropriation, and benefit distribution. The project has received awards and recognition from arts organizations and film festivals associated with Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, and regional cultural awards from bodies such as Los Angeles County Arts Commission.

Funding and Organization

The organization's funding model combines philanthropic donations, grants from foundations like Ford Foundation and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, revenue from album sales and streaming partnerships with services such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, and income from touring and ticketed performances at venues including Wembley Stadium and festival stages at Lollapalooza. Governance includes a nonprofit board with advisors drawn from cultural institutions like Getty Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, and corporate partners. Financial oversight aligns with nonprofit reporting norms used by entities registered in California and overseen through standards applied by US regulatory bodies.

Notable Collaborations and Artists

Collaborations have brought together traditional and contemporary figures, featuring appearances or shared stages with artists and groups such as Buena Vista Social Club, Fela Kuti–inspired ensembles, Ali Farka Touré–style musicians, and individual performers linked to Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Ravi Shankar, Yo-Yo Ma, Derek Trucks, Anoushka Shankar, Salif Keita, Sevara Nazarkhan, Omara Portuondo, Cesária Évora, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Femi Kuti, Angélique Kidjo, Esther Ofarim, Joaquín Rodrigo interpreters, and contemporary pop figures such as Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Coldplay, and Adele who have been associated with collaborative benefit events or shared festival bills. Guest appearances and endorsements have also linked the project to cultural ambassadors and public figures including Angelina Jolie, Robert Redford, Nelson Mandela–linked initiatives, and philanthropic musicians like Paul McCartney and Sting.

Category:Music organizations