The entertainment world is designed to be a stage on which its players perform on, financed by accessibility to a wide variety of revenue streams and crowdsourcing. What does that stage mean? Does the art itself reciprocate value or are people putting money in another bottomless pocket? How does the music business truly affect everyone? What is the end result behind where the money flows? Who will be helped by each performance? These are questions that determine whether the music business is mirroring a time of income disparity or acceptance of the human condition.

Music is not only a reflection of culture, but also the use of artistic technological collaboration in changing current personal circumstances. The music industry can be a resourceful tool from using events, art, and marketing for supporting a purpose to taking an active role in a cause itself. Becoming involved is an opportunity for developing sustainable community impact programs. Take action indirectly as well as directly by commiting what is practical when it is possible to making life better. Pledge at least one percent of time, profits, product, and/or promotions to giving back by donating to nonprofits as well as charitable for profit developments.

Three steps to organize music for social change: give a fuck about other people’s experience, find something worth doing something about, help. How often do creators ask themselves how what they are doing is making people feel? What can everybody do to help each other work on themselves? Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to make a difference, but subjective ambiguous limitations prevent actuality from realization without that external force. Some type of initiative is needed to make anything happen. Who does the casting or writes the scripts if the world is but a stage? Is it better to play a part by sticking to the lines, or to take control through improvisation? All anyone can do is the best they can. What is that?

Free Your Art: $1 per ticket for Deaf Child events are donated to Orleans Public Defenders to fight mass incarceration

Green the Scene: monthly blog series on an environmentally friendly music industry

All The World's a Stage: Shakespeare's As You Like It

Karen Lozinski: photo of Vibe Doctors Jazz Project

Pledge 1%: give back