Featuring contributions and collaborations from cities across America
Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and Americans for the Arts (AFTA) announced the release of the ‘City Song Collection,’ featuring 9 songs inspired, composed and performed by local artists from cities all over the country in a demonstration of healing, unity and city pride. The songs and overall collection showcase how cities are coming together through music in 2020, which has been an unprecedented year for communities across America.
The effort comes as America celebrates October’s annual Art and Humanities Month. The project features both original compositions and covers of songs from Louisville, Chicago, Reno, Austin, Detroit, Charleston, Oklahoma City, Atlanta, and New Orleans. Videos of the songs can be found at the USCM City Song Collection page.
“The City Song Collection speaks to the best of America: finding hope even in the hardest of times. I am proud that this nationwide initiative first began in Louisville as a response to Covid -19, and that so many cities across the country have banded together with countless local musicians, artists, composers, performing artists, and ordinary citizens to create a patchwork of songs that reflect the individuality of our great cities,” said USCM President and Louisville (KY) Mayor Greg Fischer.
“The arts have a way of uniting us, giving us hope and a shared sense of belonging to something bigger than ourselves even during this most unsettling period in our nation’s history,” said Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch. “We are honored to partner with The United States Conference of Mayors and the mayors, local arts leaders and artists in these nine diverse cities that contributed to this inspiring project. The homegrown spirit, passion and local talent in these songs speaks volumes to the abundance of incredible artists contributing to communities across the nation.”
“This year has been full of triumph and hardship for cities across America, big and small, red and blue. But the one thing that stands out is that so many communities are working together to rebuild and fight for a better future. This arts and healing project speaks to that exact spirit: we are stronger together than we are apart,” said USCM CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran.
For more information on the City Song Collection, see here.