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Developing
the Future
of Music
in San
Francisco

MCAD is a non-profit organization where music education is at the core of our programming 

Providing systems of support that allow musicians and other performance artists to live, grow and thrive in the San Francisco Bay Area

MCAD has aligned with the nonprofit organization PB&JAMMusic Sessions for Kids

Offering enrichment programs for grades K-8 & beyond with “in-class” and/or “after-school” workshops broken down into three 12-week phases.

Designed for all children, especially those in the ESL community and the underserved children living in the Bay Area, with a focus on children living mainly in the Tenderloin, 6th & Folsom Street corridor and the Mission District

A new era
of musical
expression

San Francisco has always been a magnet for the working musician. Recently, however, the changes in the music industry away from live performance and toward online distribution, mixed with the high cost of SF living, has eroded opportunities musicians once had to develop their skills.

Despite technology and new platforms for distribution, the lack of a centralized physical community has limited artists’ ability to connect, collaborate, create, and make music a career.

In response, Music City Artist Development (MCAD) seeks to lay the foundation for a new era of musical expression and innovation in SF, through its mission to revitalize systems of support that allow musicians and other performance artists to live, grow and thrive in the SF Bay Area.

The historical vision for MCAD was created in the early 1980s by Rudy Colombini, MCAD’s Board President, when he bought the Encore Hotel. Since then, Rudy has transformed the building into Music City San Francisco (MCSF), with a hotel and fully-stocked rehearsal spaces and studios. MCSF and MCAD were founded by artists uniquely to serve other artists. Currently undergoing renovation, this building will house MCAD.

What started out as a for profit booking agency soon transformed into the non profit we’re today.

In 2019 Music City Artist Development provided over one hundred paid gigs for local musicians and performing artists.

We were on track to double the amount of paid gigs for local artists in 2020, due to Covid-19 all gigs have been cancelled for 2020.

In light of this, we have started a lost gig fund for musicians facing unmet essential needs due to lost revenue from cancelled gigs.

Below is an outline of our partners who without them we could not continue to provide opportunities for local musicians and performing artists.

Your money goes
to supporting

Music City Artist Development, which seeks as its mission to revitalize systems of support that allow musicians and other performance artists to live, grow and thrive in the San Francisco Bay Area, is proud to announce its Music Event Sponsorship Campaign. This campaign seeks several sponsors at multiple levels that will highlight your organization’s dedication to our local community and to original live, and local music. Through the weekly Fern Alley Music Series and Polk Street Songwriter’s Festival, your business will benefit from an expected audience of 3,000 for Fern Alley Music Series.

Support
Music City artist development
1353 Bush St
San Francisco, CA
(415) 298-8483
© COPYRIGHT 2020 MUSIC CITY ARTIST DEVELOPMENT 

Connect with us

WELCOME TO THE MUSIC CITY WALK OF FAME

Donate Now

Marvel at our outdoor ‘Walk of Fame’ honoring the top music legends in San Francisco by having them immortalized on our brick entryway by renowned Radio DJ Paul Wells.

Make A
Difference!

Your
Support

As a non-profit organization we rely upon the generosity of individuals like you to sustain our many initiatives. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. Your support of the Music City Image Walk and Walk of Fame is greatly appreciated.

Donations to the Music City Image Walk and Walk of Fame support our core programs in music education. Donations of all sizes are crucial to the success of our mission; no donation is too big or too small!

About us

Music City Artist Development seeks to lay the foundation for a new era of musical expression and innovation in San Francisco through its mission to nurture a cultural ecosystem that allows musicians and other performance artists to live, grow, and thrive in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Supporting
Our Communities

Music City Artist Development (MCAD) primarily serves diverse, low-income musicians and other live performers, who are marginalized in part based on the lack of resources available to them to develop their craft and career in music. Musicians struggle to stay in San Francisco to contribute to the creative community but are being displaced due to the high cost of living and now, a public health threat that will likely increase the chance of displacement.

MCAD also serves the residents who live in and around its Tenderloin neighborhood, which is populated by a diverse group of families and individuals, many of them immigrants from Yemen, Vietnam, Turkey, and El Salvador, who face similar challenges as a result of San Francisco's high cost of living. The area’s median income is around $31,000 — less than half of the citywide average of $78,000. Through its programs, MCAD seeks to serve as a creative hub and resource to both the music community and residents of its Tenderloin neighborhood.

Star Tour

WELCOME TO THE MUSIC CITY IMAGE WALK

Donate Now

A must see San Francisco tourist attraction 􏰀for music lovers.

Hotel Hallway Gallery honoring 72 of the most iconic Bay Area artists & bands.

Blown up shots from Getty Imaes, laser printed on aluminum  Original written tributes by prominent national writers such as Ben Fon-Torres  [Rollin Stone], Emma Silvers [KQED], Joel Selvin [SF Chronicle] and more.

Photo raphers such as Robert Altman [Rollin Stone] also honored  See audio immersion playlist tour o􏰀f the Image Walk. 

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Matters!

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