Artist For Action

Artist For Action is an artist-led coalition that promotes unity in prevention of gun violence. Led by musician Mark Barden (Co-Founder, Sandy Hook Promise) and including artists Sheryl Crow, Billie Eilish, Peter Gabriel, Karen Fairchild (Little Big Town), Nile Rodgers, Bush, Rufus Wainwright, Pixies, LP, Bootsy Collins & Funk Not Flight, Old Crow Medicine Show, Halestorm, Rozzi, Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Alternate Routes, Sofi Tukker and more, the Artist For Action coalition is designed to drive people to volunteer, donate and vote to end the epidemic of gun violence. Launching with a series of live events on September 22nd in NYC presented by AFA (Artist For Artist), the first concert will take place at Irving Plaza and feature Bush and special guests. This launch event is designed to raise awareness for Artist For Action To Prevent Gun Violence and Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit founded and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The concert will be the first in a series of national events in New York City which will include a concert in December to celebrate the release of the film that directly led to the creation of Artist For Action To Prevent Gun Violence: A Father’s Promise, as well as one next summer at Central Park SummerStage around Gun Violence Awareness Month. Directed by Rick Korn and Executive Produced by Sheryl Crow, the film is the story of professional musician Mark Barden whose life changed instantly when his son Daniel was murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary. Mark lost all joy in music and made a promise to do everything in his power to help prevent gun violence so that nobody ever has to feel his and his family’s pain. He co-founded Sandy Hook Promise, a nonprofit organization that takes a holistic approach to ending school shootings and gun violence by teaching the warning signs of violence and how to get help. The film will be released this December with another concert that will be part of the Artist For Action series. “This needs to stop,” said Peter Gabriel. “So many needless deaths. So much suffering. It just needs a little common sense.” According to the Gun Violence Archive, 2023 is likely to be the deadliest year of gun violence on record, with the U.S. now averaging more than one mass shooting a day. Artist For Action’s mission is to prevent gun violence by forming a coalition of musicians to act and help reduce and eliminate the epidemic of gun violence in America. The easy-to-use platform, available here, makes it simple for artists to activate fans to get involved with gun violence prevention and other life-enriching grassroots organizations in their communities and take direct action. “As a father I am staggered by the gun violence in America and as a musician I am fortunate enough to be able to take a stand against it. This is a human rights crisis out of control. There have been more than 400 mass shootings in the US in 2023 - from stores to football games to parades to schools. Every person, especially children, deserves the right to be and feel safe,” said Gavin Rossdale of Bush. ARTIST FOR ARTIST Based in NYC and founded by music industry veterans Matthew Reich Neal Saini, AFA is a talent, marketing events agency with a focus on social impact run BY artists FOR artists. SANDY HOOK PROMISE SHP envisions a future where all children are free from school shootings and other acts of violence. As a national nonprofit organization, SHP’s mission is to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. Creators of the life-saving, evidence-informed “Know the Signs” prevention programs, SHP teaches the warning signs of someone who may be in crisis, socially isolated, or at risk of hurting themselves or others and how to get help. SHP also advances school safety, youth mental health, and responsible gun ownership at the state and federal levels through nonpartisan policy and partnerships. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. ARTIST FOR ACTION TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE We are a coalition of artists, musicians influencers who are taking action towards eliminating the epidemic of gun violence in America. Created and led by musician/activist Mark Barden (Co-Founder of Sandy Hook Promise), Rick Korn (Director of A Father’s Promise), Matthew Reich Neal Saini (Co-Founders of Artist For Artist) as a way to engage large groups of Americans to get involved and keep their communities safe. Our platform makes it easy for artists to activate their fans in taking 3 simple steps to prevent gun violence - Volunteer, Donate, Vote. Artist For Action To Prevent Gun Violence is a non-political movement that has come together as one to help prevent future tragedies. We must act now!