MINI: Driving Hope

47% of music programs have disappeared from NYC schools since '07. So MINI and Sing For Hope created 50 hand-painted pianos and placed them around NYC for students and others to play, all of which were then donated to schools. 

Then, we used MINI's surprising storage space to create a roving 51st piano, which performed all over the city for 30 straight days.

The making of the MINIPIANO:

Footage by Helo and MINI USA

VANESSA CARLTON during halftime of Steve Nash's annual Soccer Showdown:

Footage by Bleacher Report

Hand-painted piano locations:

Example hand-painted pianos:

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JUILLIARD SCHOOL PERFORMANCE:                               

Footage by NowThis/Thrillist

NOWTHIS coverage of our first event, "A Ride Through Time":     

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Footage by The Juilliard School

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BRONX BLOCK PARTY:                                                               

Free concert at Brooklyn Library

J MASCIS + JUKEBOX THE GHOST:

Footage by Sing for Hope

Key MINIPiano events:

MAY 24:

THRILLIST RIDE THROUGH TIME

plays at historical venues like CBGB

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JUNE 4:

LIBERTY PLAZA LAUNCH

all 51 pianos perform​

JUNE 4:

LIVE TV PERFORMANCES

with Steve Madden & various hosts

JUNE 6:

JUILLIARD SCHOOL

live performance​

JUNE 8:

BROOKLYN

Northside Festival

JUNE 11:

PIANO LESSONS

at NYC public schools

JUNE 12-13:

POP-UP SHOWS

citywide

JUNE 14:

BRONX

Block Party

JUNE 16:

INDUSTRY CITY

Thrillist Best Day of Your Life

JUNE 17:

FATHER'S DAY

piano on demand

JUNE 20:

J. MASCIS / DINOSAUR JR. CONCERT

Grand Army Plaza

JUNE 20:

VANESSA CARLTON

at Steve Nash Showdown

JUNE 21:

DUELING PIANOS

MINIPiano vs. painted pianos

JUNE 22:

BROADWAY DAY

with Wicked, Kinky Boots, etc.

JUNE 24:

CLOSING CEREMONY

Liberty Plaza

CO-CREATIVES:

Lily Fu, Nate Mayer, Nick Sonderup

PRODUCTION PARTNERS:

Bleacher Report, Helo, Thrillist/NowThis

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