IFAC is proud to support the non-profit Sing for Hope for over a decade, celebrating the power of turning creativity into a public resource.

On 9 June 2025, at Fosun Plaza in Lower Manhattan, Sing for Hope unveiled 15 new artist-designed pianos as part of its annual “Pianos on the Plaza” initiative in New York City. The event brought together public art, spontaneous music and community engagement, aligned with Sing for Hope’s mission to foster healing connection through the arts.

In a busy city, Sing for Hope Pianos is doing something quietly radical: placing artist-designed pianos in public spaces so anyone can sit down, play, listen, or simply pause.

The programme ran from 9am to 3pm, with a special midday performance featuring the Marching Cobras drumline, Broadway performer Meecah (Hamilton), pianist Maxim Lando, vocalist Nia Drummond (2025 American Traditions Vocal Competition winner) and the Sing for Hope Handa Harmony Youth Chorus. Nathan Lucrezio (Pirates! The Penzance Musical) hosted the event.

Following the launch, the pianos were placed across public sites in the city for three weeks—parks, waterfronts, transit hubs and plazas—inviting passers-by to sit, play and engage. After their public residency, each piano will be donated to a school, hospital or community-based organisation in New York, extending the project’s impact beyond the cityscape.

IFAC’s support for Sing for Hope began in 2016 and expanded with a decade-long commitment in 2019. By backing programmes that put instruments into public hands, IFAC helps create opportunities for participation—especially for young people and communities who may not otherwise have easy access to arts experiences.

The 2025 pianos were transformed by fifteen artists: Diana Barnes; Vanesa Álvarez; Double Yolk; Rangoli Mittal; J.J. Gonzalez; Christopher Spinelli; Sally Chen; Naderson St. Pierre; Bendow; Gabriel Santiago; Kate Fauvelle; Shanice Figeroux; Nick Stavrides; Yelena Del Carmine; and Colette Hardy. Each design reflects a distinctive artistic voice, with a shared purpose: to invite curiosity and make the arts feel immediate, public and welcoming.

Sing for Hope describes its mission as “harnessing the power of the arts to create a better world through dynamic education, healthcare and global initiatives–activating creativity in schools, hospitals, refugee camps and public spaces worldwide.”

Seek out a Sing for Hope Piano when they appear in your city, or explore Sing for Hope’s programmes to see how public art can become a gateway to participation and opportunity: www.singforhope.org