Sing for Hope

Founded	2001; 25 years ago (2001)
Founders	Camille Zamora, Monica Yunus
Type	Non-profit organization
Purpose	humanitarian
Headquarters	Midtown Manhattan
Location	New York City, United States
Region served	New York City
Website	singforhope.org

Sing for Hope is a nonprofit global arts nonprofit headquartered in New York City. In the days following 9/11, Juilliard students Monica Yunus and Camille Zamora brought live music directly to first responders at Engine 40/Ladder 35, witnessing firsthand how the arts bring immediate solace, connection, and shared humanity in times of crisis. That response sparked a movement to mobilize creative artists beyond traditional stages, laying the foundation for Sing for Hope’s global work at the intersection of arts, health, and community wellbeing.

Sing for Hope operates under the principle that access to the arts is a fundamental human right rather than a privilege. As a global arts service organization emanating from a central New York City hub, Sing for Hope serves as a source of hope, resilience, and healing for tens of thousands of people annually through core programming in hospitals, schools, care facilities, centers for older adults, and transit hubs, while inspiring millions through large-scale public arts initiatives.

In 2026, Sing for Hope celebrates its 25th Anniversary, marking a quarter-century of mobilizing thousands of professional Artist Partners to bring dynamic arts programming to under-resourced communities across the United States and around the world.

History

Sing for Hope is a non-profit organization founded in 2001 by opera singers Monica Yunus and Camille Zamora in response to the September 11 attacks.^[1] It is located in Midtown Manhattan, in New York City.^[2][3] The two New York City based vocalists and alumnae of the Juilliard School established Sing for Hope as a resource for New York artists who want to use their art to give back to their community, and the program fosters interaction between artists and communities and makes the arts accessible to the public.^[4] Among other things, the organization sends professional artists to sing for students in New York City classrooms.^[5]

Sing for Hope Pianos Project

The Sing for Hope Pianos project is one of New York City's largest public art projects. ^[6][7] It brings 88 (one-per-key) artist-painted pianos for three weeks in June each year since 2011 (hundreds, over the years) to parks, street corners, subways, and other outdoor public spaces of the five boroughs of New York City.^{[8][4][9][10][11][12]} The pianos are available for anyone to play, for free.^[4] The pianos often feature formal and impromptu concerts and have been likened to an open festival of music bringing together New York’s culturally diverse population.^[13]

In 2010, artist Sophie Matisse, the great-granddaughter of French painter Henri Matisse, hand-painted four Kimball pianos that had been donated for the cause, including painting the piano keys.^[14][15][16] In 2011, fashion designers Isaac Mizrahi, Diane von Furstenberg, and Kate Spade painted pianos for the project, and the following year fashion designer John Varvatos painted a piano silver.^[17][4][18]

Following their three-week public residency, the Sing for Hope Pianos are donated to schools, hospitals, healthcare facilities, and community centers.^[4] CBS News wrote that the project was "reminding us all of the power of music to inspire and unite".^[10][19]

List of artist partners

List of board members

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sing for Hope.

• Sing for Hope
• "The 2022 Sing for Hope Pianos LIVE at NYC’s Fosun Plaza," SingForHope, June 3, 2022 (video) .
• "Sing For Hope Opening Ceremony - 25 pianos at Liberty Street NYC," Pianist Without Borders, June 10, 2024 (video)