LITTLE ROCK (April 28, 2017) – The City of Little Rock, in conjunction with the Downtown Little Rock Partnership introduced Pop-up Pianos in the downtown area on Friday. The three pianos were rolled out as part of Main Street Food Truck Friday festivities. 

The colorfully adorned pianos, donated by Richard Deutsch of PianoKraft, were decorated by art students from e-STEM Public Charter School, Horace Mann Arts & Sciences Magnet Middle School, and Episcopal Collegiate School. 

With the assistance of the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau and Matt McLeod Fine Art Gallery, the pianos will be available for the musically inclined to play and for the public to listen during nice weather and will be rolled inside for protection when necessary.  In addition to the piano at Capitol Avenue and Main Street, one will be positioned in the River Market and another will be near the 200 block of Main Street.

Carol Worley, a Downtown Little Rock Partnership Main Street Task Force member who initiated the project, stated, “I saw public pianos in other cities I’ve visited and I hope the Pop-up Pianos will do for Little Rock what music has done for centuries – bring people together and strengthen social bonds.”

Mayor Mark Stodola also spoke at the unveiling lauding the interactive public art project as a positive for Little Rock’s burgeoning downtown. “As the number of visitors and residents in downtown Little Rock continues to grow, these Pop-up Pianos will provide another spot where our residents can congregate, interact, and either share or appreciate musical talent.”

Those in attendance at the debut and at the nearby Main Street Food Truck Friday event got a first hand preview of the Pop-up Pianos when E-Stem student Kimberly Clowers along with local artists Drew Jansen and Jimmy Martin closed out the event by playing a few jazz tunes.