Lancaster City streets are growing pianos faster than spring showers can grow flowers.
On Friday, May 21, 20 pianos were set up around Lancaster city for the public to play whenever they please.
The pianos were donated by local families and churches and painted and designed by local artists.
Music For Everyone, a non-profit organization that raises awareness of the role that music plays in the community, partnered with Society of Design, another non-profit organization dedicated to multidisciplinary design education and community service, to create this public art exhibit.
“[The pianos] allow citizens to interact and they will give responsibility to the community to treat the city better,” said Penn Manor junior, Felix Gonzalez.”They bring our community together and all that mush.”
The release of the pianos was preceded by a public concert in Lancaster Square and the pianos will be kept up all summer long.
“The early reaction was pretty positive,” said Craig Welsh, the head of Society of Design.
So far Lancaster citizens seem to be enthused about the addition and enjoying the benefits.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea and I like that people are now allowed to randomly showcase their talents,” said Melissa Telesco, Penn Manor’s chorus director. “It just goes to show how important the arts are in our culture.”
And while it has its benefits to the general public, it also has shown to be a playground for vandals. Only one short day after the pianos made their debut, there were signs of abuse.
One piano has been broken in three places and, according to Welsh, others criminals have left their mark with graffiti.
“It doesn’t surprise me but it saddens me that there are people who lack such self-esteem in their own life that they can’t allow others to benefit,” said Telesco.
“I’m disappointed because this might be an insight to how [the pianos] will be treated in the future,” said Gonzalez.
By Emily Brody and Jacqueline Lennon