Philanthropy & Music

In this episode we take a look at the long history of the relationship between philanthropy and music. Including:Philanthropy supporting musicPatronage & philanthropyWho gets to decide which music count as "art"?How did Victorian paternalism tie in with the promotion of music?How and when did the state come to accept responsibility for funding music?Musicians as PhilanthropistsHow does the fact that many musicians come from relatively modest or poor backgrounds inform their giving?Celebrity musician philanthropy: from Jenny Lind to John LegendThe history of charity fundraising concertsPhilanthropy in MusicAre there any good songs about philanthropy?Related LinksRhod's article on "Marcus Rashford, Dolly Parton and public perceptions of Philanthropy"Classic FM, "Who were the great patrons of music?"Classic FM, "Seven times when great composers made some noise for charity"Drummond (1978)  "The Royal Society of Musicians in the Eighteenth Century"Uy, Michael Sy (2017) "The Big Bang of Music Patronage in the United States: The National Endowment for the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Ford Foundation". (PhD Thesis)Samples (2016) "The Humbug and the Nightingale: P. T. Barnum, Jenny Lind, and the Branding of a Star Singer for American Reception"Rolling Stone, "Prince, the Secret Philanthropist: ‘His Cause Was Humanity’"Guardian, "The philanthropic acts of George Michael: from £5k tips to nurses' gigs"Nonprofit Quarterly, "Sankofa Philanthropy: Hip Hop’s Sixth Element"BBC, "10 pop stars who donated unbelievable amounts of money"Rolling Stone, "Heal the World: 20 Songs for a Good Cause"Lee (2010)"Heeding the Call: An Historical Overview of Philanthropy in Rock"