Chicago Plays, a nonprofit founded by Morgan Park resident John McCarthy, is bringing public pianos to neighborhoods across Chicago. The group’s mission is to provide free access to pianos throughout the city, and they’ve already placed pianos in the Beverly and Morgan Park neighborhoods.

Community Comes Together Through Music

Garrick Smothers, a longtime artist and musician, enjoys playing the piano outside County Fair Foods in Morgan Park. He says the public piano brings a sense of community to the area, and people often stop to listen and appreciate the music.

The pianos are not only a public instrument, but also a public work of art. Chicago Plays partners with artists to transform donated pianos into an art display. This year, pianos can be found at County Fair Foods and the Beverly Area Planning Association.

Tom Baffes, president of County Fair Foods, says the piano outside his store has been a fun partnership, and employees and shoppers can hear the music from inside. He says it often leads to a crowd as shoppers exit the store.

Chicago Plays is growing, and new this year is a piano at Navy Pier. Andrew Bayn, a 23-year-old from Utah, was visiting Chicago and stumbled upon the public piano at Navy Pier. He played the main theme from the Nintendo 64 game, ‘The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,’ and drew a crowd.

McCarthy says Chicago Plays relies on donations and is seeking more businesses and organizations to host pianos throughout the city. He says music is joy, and they’re trying to spark some joy in the community.

Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.