Andrew Bird is Raising Funds and Awareness to Prevent Gun Violence and Build Safer Communities

Throughout his 2016 tour, Andrew Bird is raising awareness and funds for gun violence prevention in partnership with Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund. With RPM’s help, Andrew Bird is implementing a ticket add-on, special merch item, and guest list donations. Fans will be prompted to take action and support the movement to end gun violence throughout the tour via social media. Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund seeks to improve our understanding of the causes of gun violence and the means to reduce it – by conducting groundbreaking original research, developing evidence-based policies, and communicating this knowledge to the American public. Learn more at www.EverytownResearch.org.

Hurray For the Riff Raff Raises Funds with a Special Merch Item

In just one week, Hurray for the Riff Raff raised more than $7,000 for Third Wave Fund and Radical Monarchs to support their work to advance political power, well- being, and self determination. More than 450 t-shirts were sold, designed by Ricardo Alessio, featuring a quote by Audre Lorde: “Women are powerful and dangerous”  The shirt was promoted widely on social media by the band, beneficiary organizations and fans. Motivation for the shirt and support for the organization was very personal to Alynda Segarra (Hurray for the Riff Raff).

“This quote by Audre Lorde has kept me strong in my most fragile moments. When the outside world told me that I was weak, I remembered that I am strong. When I was told I was powerless, I remembered I am powerful.

Everywhere female identified people are connecting with their inner resource of strength. Most of us went through a long road of suffering, isolation without the community and living mentors we craved. I hope this campaign can contribute much needed funds to these organizations that are supplying the youth with much needed resources and encouragement they need. So as these young people navigate our society and our world they know they are powerful beings. We are birthed by powerful beings.”

– Alynda Segarra

#GoVote/#Vota! An Election Success To Build Upon

RPM teamed up with the brilliant minds at Taskforce and HeadCount to flood social networks in the days before the election with #GoVote images, messaging and information. More than 500 artists—musicians, comedians, TV personalities, visual artists, and more—posted photos of themselves holding #GoVote/#Vota art, or just posted the art itself, along with vital voter protection and polling information.

There was something for everyone—images about climate change, prison reform, immigration, media justice, women’s rights, education, gun safety, and more. And the impact was incredible–over 300 million impressions, including 61 Million just from a post from Usher! You can see more of the images at govote.org.

My Morning Jacket Raises Funds & Awareness for Charity with Add-Ons

“What’s great about a liaison like [Revolutions Per Minute] is that they know what is needed in each area [so] we can be more effective with our philanthropy.” — Patrick Hallahan (My Morning Jacket)

Since 2009, My Morning Jacket have worked with RPM to add $1 for nonprofits to the cost of every ticket sold. As a result of 8 ticket add-on tours, nearly $400,000 has been donated to 97 organizations across the US & Canada working on issues including: arts and music education, criminal justice, disaster response, environment, economic justice, health care, media justice, women’s rights, and more.

In 2015, MMJ established the Waterfall Project. Dedicated to promoting actions, big and small, for positive change, the project supports organizations working on the frontlines of climate change. In addition to the $1 per ticket, fans hosted fundraisers along the tour route to raise money for the project.

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Migration is Beautiful: An Artists’ Statement on Immigration Reform

In 2013, Migration is Beautiful, an Artists’ Statement on Immigration Reform, brought together over 100 influential artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers, comedians, directors, producers, and performers in solidarity and to urge President Obama, Congress and other policy-makers to pass immigration reform that  acknowledges the complexity and truth of the American immigrant story — one of hope, dignity, family, and faith in democracy.

The statement was in collaboration with The Culture Group & CultureStrike and released May 7, 2013. The signatories included Russell Banks, Margaret Cho, Teju Cole, Chuck D, Rosario Dawson, Zack De La Rocha, Junot Díaz, Abigail E. Disney, Dave Eggers, Shepard Fairey, John Leguizamo, Yo-Yo Ma, Mira Nair, Robert Redford, R.E.M., The Roots, Sarah Silverman, Jose Antonio Vargas, and many others. The statement not only provided an opportunity for engagement of creatives around immigration, but also reached “beyond the choir” (meaning those already engaged by the dedicated efforts of existing immigrants rights organizations) to artists’ extensive fan bases around a conversation and call for just immigration reform. More here.

Tibetan Freedom Concerts

The Tibetan Freedom Concerts were a series of concerts in the 1990s designed by artists and activists to be a new kind of benefit event that organizers called a “message concert” (intended to raise awareness rather than money). The concerts combined the ability of musicians to convene, inspire and engage new audiences—particularly young people—with the strategy of activists who knew the historic power of young people to make change, and how to create engagement sequences that could build and mobilize a movement to exert pressure on international agents. In this way, the concerts were a true partnership in building a movement around the music. Outcomes include:

• Brought together over 325,000 people from 1996 to 1999. Viewed by millions on broadcast (MTV, HBO) and streaming online.
• Raised over $5 million dollars for the Milarepa Fund’s education, outreach, and grant-making programs.
• Involved over 120 performers; many are still engaged in the Tibet movement throughout the world.
• Brought unprecedented, international media coverage and attention to Tibet’s plights and its nonviolent struggle for freedom.