The idea of engaging artists in philanthropy has been a passion of mine since my early twenties. Long before joining the team at Youth on Record (YOR), I had been working to connect young professionals with the power of giving—whether through their time, talent, or resources. With Chris Murphy at Colorado Music Buzz, we launched Band Together CO, a program to unite local creative professionals, offering opportunities to network, learn, and give back to their communities. While that early initiative brought local musicians, artists, and businesses together to create a positive impact, we soon realized that sustaining such a program required more resources than we had at the time.

When I joined YOR in 2015, I saw an opportunity to bring my vision to life with an organization rooted in supporting young creatives. In 2016, I began building what would become the Music Ambassador program. I envisioned a way for artists to make a tangible impact through accessible philanthropy—showing that anyone, regardless of income or fame, can make a difference. 

In January 2017, we launched this program with Big Gigantic, who kicked off their partnership by donating $1 per ticket for every show that year, raising $50,000. This incredible success underscored the potential of artists to contribute meaningfully and highlighted how even a small amount can create change.

Since then, the Music Ambassador program at YOR has grown, with over 100 artists, venues, promoters, publicists, and even a comedian joining in support of our mission. This program allows artists to use their platform for good, connecting them with a community dedicated to uplifting the next generation of young creatives.

Artists continue to impress us with their thoughtful and creative approaches to philanthropy. This year alone, we’ve had artists donate $1 from presale tickets, request donations from their guest lists, stock YOR merch at their merch tables, and give YOR a voice on their stage and on their social media. We were even the featured charity for a specialty beer collaboration! 

But the scale of contribution isn’t the priority. We’ve had deep and meaningful engagement from artists of all sizes and at all stages in their career. We’re grateful for the unending support of the larger music community and it means so much for the next generation of artists to have your support.

Every dollar, every hour counts. 

To all artists reading this: I encourage you to consider your charitable footprint and how you might leave an impact. Together, we can help sustain a community that supports both artists and the youth who aspire to follow in their footsteps.