About Music Aid –

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Music Aid supports new artists, songwriters, musicians and good causes, charities and benefit events.

The Music Aid Organization launched in 1998 at a major music industry event in central London visited by over 100,000 people with seven days of live music shows, dance performances and art exhibitions. USA Today described the launch as “one of the most important and exciting new projects in music and media” and awarded musicaid.org Website Of The Year Award. Since that time Music Aid has worked with The United Nations, the BBC, Net Aid, the Live Earth event, UNICEF, The UN World Schoolhouse Project and many other international major organizations and partners to support good causes. It also partners with major songwriting events and competitions including the UK Songwriting Contest and The Commonwealth Song Contest, and organizations and services such as the Song Copyright Office (SCO).

Musicians and friends involved in Music Aid’s launch event included Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood who donated his own original artwork in support and funds were raised from the sale of artworks, memorabilia and signed guitars and album covers from Paul McCartney, John Lee Hooker, Oasis, Prince, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Bono and others.

After its launch Music Aid managed UN volunteers with United Nations UNV Programs including the UN World Schoolhouse Project providing education for over 85,000 underprivileged children globally. Funds raised at the Music Aid launch event were used to directly provide schooling and support for poor children and families in SE Asia. MusicAid partnered with the BBC and Youth Music to run the nationwide Instrument Amnesty program in the UK to re-distribute unwanted musical instruments and give them a new home. During the global Covid Pandemic Music Aid created and organized the World Concert Day events in 2020, 2021 and 2022 raising funds internationally through music for local hospices, the British National Health Service, the World Health Organization’s Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund, the Breathe Life Campaign, IMPACT, UNICEF, Amazon Watch and many more international causes and charities (details).

The organization was inspired by conversations between its founder and guitarist Carlos Santana in Rio de Janeiro during the week long Rock In Rio event at the Maracaná Stadium. Talking backstage between shows at the Stadium and at the Copacabana Palace Hotel the two men discovered that they both shared a passionate interest in the different ways that music could be used for good. They shared ideas for setting up organizations and discussed what could be achieved, how they could do this, and what directions they could take. Carlos returned to the USA and formed the Milagro Foundation, and Music Aid launched in London in the same year in 1998.

 

Who founded Music Aid?
Music Aid was founded by a member of the international music community who wishes to remain anonymous. His plans for a Music Aid Organization (which became musicaid.org) crystalized and developed after conversations with Carlos Santana in Rio de Janeiro during the week-long Rock In Rio concert event in Brazil. Backstage at the Maracana Stadium and at the Copacabana Palace Hotel the two men discussed and shared ideas for founding organizations that use music to do good. Carlos returned to the USA and launched his Milagro Foundation and Music Aid´s founder returned to the UK and launched Music Aid at a large major event in London, England with support from friends and colleagues in the music industry. Both organizations were launched at the same time in the same year – 1998. The Music Aid launch event “The Art Of Music Festival” was attended by over 100,000 people in Central London and well known names from music and art supported the launch. While there has been speculation about the identity of Music Aid’s founder his identity is known to a only few close peers and friends in the international music industry.

 

DRAFT REWRITE
Music Aid was founded by an anonymous memberof the international music community after witnessing extreme poverty during world travels. He was inspired to start a Music Aid Organization to help those in need and this idea developed during conversations with Carlos Santana at the week-long Rock In Rio concerts event at the Maracaña Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Backstage between shows, and at the Copacabana Palace Hotel where the headline artists were staying, the two men shared ideas about founding organizations that would use music to do good.

Carlos Santana returned to the USA and launched the Milagro Foundation in California and Music Aid´s founder launched Music Aid at a major event in London, England with support from friends in the music industry. Both organizations were launched in the same year, 1998. The Music Aid launch event “The Art Of Music Festival” was attended by over 100,000 people in Central London and many well known names from music and art supported the launch (learn more here). While there has been speculation about the identity of Music Aid’s founder, he has remained anonymous to the general public and his identity is still only known to a few close peers in the international music community.

WHAT WE DO
Today Music Aid helps people, supports and funds good causes, charities and those in need through music. It supports workd with children, supports UNICEF, and is working to establish Child AId centers in some of the world’s poorest areas. It is completely non profit. no one earns anything from being involved with running the organization, and funds are raised through music events with a very small proportion coming from kind donations. Besides supporting charities and causes Music Aid also helps musicians with sponsorships and scholrships.

In 2024 the Music Aid FM (musicaid.fm) platform was launched to support and promotion for new up-and-coming musicians, songwriters and artists and also fund Music Aid’s work with charities and good causes. Music Aid has worked with many music benefit events including Al Gore’s Live Earth Event, World Concert Day, Rock In Rio and others and raised funds for field work and aid projects on five continents. It provides free support for benefit music events that raise funds for UNICEF – the United Nations International Children’s Fund (details).

HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

 

 

 

The launch event (“The Art of Music Festival”) was sponsored by AOL, Tower Records and Whiteleys of London and it occupied the entire top floor of the huge Whitley’s Center in central London. It ran for a full week with over 100,000 visitors enjoying seven days of art exhibits and daily live music and dance shows. This event holds the record for the largest exhibition of music related art staged anywhere in the world with many valuable original art works on display by Andy Warhol, John Lennon, Peter Max and many others. The funds raised at the launch event provided schooling and aid for hundreds of poor village children in rural SE Asia and for the following six years Music Aid operated as an official Government Registered International Charity working with the United Nations UNV online volunteer project and the Net Aid initiative in the areas of poverty relief and education.

Music Aid´s direct work includes Child Aid programs with children in need, projects providing teachers in underprivileged communities, villages, towns and schools worldwide, fundraising for UNICEF, and partnerships with established charities, causes and brands.

The organization was inspired by conversations between its founder and legendary guitarist Carlos Santana in Rio de Janeiro during the week long Rock In Rio event at the Maracaná Stadium. Talking backstage between shows at the Stadium and at the Copacabana Palace Hotel the two men discovered that they both shared a passionate interest in the different ways that music could be used for good. They shared ideas for setting up organizations and discussed what could be achieved, how they could do this, and what directions they could take. Carlos returned to the USA and formed the Milagro Foundation, and Music Aid launched in London in the same year in 1998.

PROGRAMS, PARTNERS AND CAUSES
Music Aid works directly with many Child Aid projects and also partners and supports large international charities and causes as well as small local projects. It also provides educational resources and scholarships. It is well known in the music industry as a supporter of UNICEF – The United Nations Childrens Fund. Partnerships have included the BBC Instrument Amnesty project, promotion of the Live Earth concerts event in the USA, working as official project manager for hundreds of UN volunteers with the United Nations UNV program and Net Aid, providing schooling for 85,000 children with the UN World School House project, partnership on the African Diaspora project, retail partnerships with Amazon, Apple Music and iTunes and others, partnerships with The UK Songwriting Contest, USA Songwriting Contest and other music events, working with music resource services including the SCO Song Copyright Organization and the leading music submissions platform SubmitMySong.com, and support for any and all fundraising efforts on behalf of UNICEF. The Music Aid Organization has also supported thousands of music students; provided school shoes and study materials and general aid to poor village children in rural SE Asia; distributed free musical instruments and provides free music lesson resources to underprivileged communities worldwide with the Global Reach music project – providing in-school, at home and community group classes that nurture and give inspiration, hope and support to children in need globally.

Music Aid international event days and artist events have promoted and supported many charities and causes worldwide inluding local hospices, UNICEF, The Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund, the NHS, Dementia UK, the Breathe Life Campaign, IMPACT, Amazon Watch and many more.

Music Aid International launched in 1998 at a music industry event in London attended by over 100,000 people. Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood donated his art work in support and sales of signed guitars and album covers from Paul McCartney, Bono, Bob Dylan, Prince, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, Oasis and some of the biggest names in music and art supported the launch.

The MusicAid logo ™ is globally trademark protected under international law and blockchain protected at musicaid.nft

CONTRIBUTE
Music Aid relies on the support of music lovers to continue its work. If you wish to contribute and donate as a supporter you will find details on the donations page. If you are an artist, get involved and take part in one of our events.

FAQs

How can I get involved and support Music Aid?
Our work is mainly funded by donations and the best way to support the causes and projects is to donate. Every donation, no matter how small, allows Music Aid to continue its work and provide the important life-changing projects and programs you see on this website. This can be a small one time contribution, or you can join as a regular registered supporter. If you are unable to donate you can also help and support the work by sharing and spreading the word on social media, or get involved with one of our major international event days, join the Music Aid Facebook Group or follow on Twitter and Instagram. If you are a musician, performer, songwriter, producer etc you can actively participate in Music Aid 2022, support the causes, and promote your career at the same time.

Can I work with Music Aid?
Yes you can. All openings for internships, volunteers, fundraising partners and career positions are posted here on the official musicaid.org website. Check the site for current listed opportunities. Always look for the MusicAid ™ logo and the .org organization suffix to be sure you are on the official MA website.

Legal Status / Is Music Aid an NGO?
Music Aid began life as a Government Registered International Charity and a United Nations UNV partner. It continued as such for seven years before becoming an independent non-profit NGO (Non Governmental Organization). Today it operates as an independent international NGO and SEO (Social Enterprise Organization). The Music Aid logo is trademark protected under international law.

Who founded Music Aid?
Music Aid International was founded and funded by a philanthropic benefactor from the international music community who wishes to remain anonymous. During world travels he was deeply moved by seeing at close hand the plight of the poorest people and this inspired him to find a way to use music to help those in need. This desire grew into plans for the Music Aid Organization (musicaid.org) and these plans crystalized during conversations with Carlos Santana in Rio de Janeiro during the week-long Rock In Rio Maracaña Stadium concerts. Backstage between shows, and at the Copacabana Palace Hotel, the two men discussed and shared ideas for organizations that could use music to do good. Carlos Santana returned to the USA and launched his Milagro Foundation in California and Music Aid´s founder launched Music Aid at a major event in London with support from friends and colleagues in the music industry. Both organizations were launched in the same year – 1998. The Music Aid launch event “The Art Of Music Festival” was attended by over 100,000 people in Central London and many well known names from music and art supported the launch (learn more here).

Is Music Aid a USA 501(c) organization?
501(c) registration is a tax exemption status registration in the USA and it is only applicable to USA resident organizations. Donations to Music Aid International may be tax deductable in some countries in the same was as donations to a US 501(c), and Music Aid partners with US projects and services. As Music Aid operates internationally, and does not have its international head office address in the US, it does not require or seek 501(c) registration in the USA.