50 colorful public pianos pop up across NYC
Photo of Sing for Hope Pianos Launch courtesy of SFH
On Monday, Sing for Hope celebrated its 500th placement of the organization’s iconic painted pianos, free for the public to play. As part of its annual event, Sing for Hope sets up pianos in public spaces across the city and invites New Yorkers to drop by for an impromptu performance. This year marks the organization’s eighth year of the piano initiative. With the placement of Sing for Hope’s 500th piano this month, NYC is now home to the most public pianos in the world. From June 4 to June 23, 50 artist-designed pianos will be found at parks and public spaces across the city.
Artist Miho Hiranouchi designed this piano, dubbed “水中花〜Pearl Flower〜”. It will sit at the Van Cortlandt House Museum in the Bronx.
“As Sing for Hope continues to expand nationally and internationally, we remain deeply committed to our NYC home that inspired it all,” Monica Yunus and Camille Zamora, founders of Sing for Hope, said in a statement.
“A hub of community and connection forms around each Sing for Hope Piano. Multiply that hub of community by the 500 SFH Pianos we will have placed to date as of this summer, and you have a city transformed.”
Created by the cast of “Mean Girls,” this pink piano can be found at Madison Square Park; Photo by SFH’s official paint sponsor Liquitex
Each piano is designed and painted according to a different theme determined by the artists, who hail from all five boroughs as well as around the globe. In addition to being designed by some of the best artists in the world, a few of the musical works of art were created by the casts of musicals such as Dear Evan Hansen, Jersey Boys, and Mean Girls.
The pianos were officially unveiled at a kick-off party in Fosun Plaza, featuring pop-up performances by professional musicians, Broadway casts, and everyday New Yorkers alike.
In the fall, all 50 of the pianos will be placed in Sing for Hope’s “Citizen Artist Schools.” Created in tandem with the Department of Education, the program benefits 100,000 students and community members every year. In addition to their instrument program, SFH also offers resources and workshops centered around the arts for NYC schools.
You can find SFH pianos in high-traffic places throughout the city such as Central Park, Coney Island, and Times Square. Find a painted piano near you, here.
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