Public Pianos Are Wildly Popular!

Of course they are, what's not to love?  They spread SO MUCH JOY!  As we hear about other public pianos we're keeping a running list.  If you know of any that aren't listed here or that have been removed, you can let us know through our website Contact Form.  Please type "The List" in the subject line.  We know there are MANY more pianos and events to add.  Note:   For the purposes of our list, a "permanent" public piano is one that stays in place until it's no longer playable.

Temporary

Valentine's Day 'Self Serve Serenade' - 1995
1st Known Public Piano
One Time Event

  • A public grand piano and trailer

  • Joshua Tree, California, USA

  • Placed by 'Piano Bob' (Bob Fenger)

  • No project specific web presence

Play Me, I'm Yours - 2008
Internationally Touring Street Piano Events

  • Events typically lasts two weeks

  • Founder: Luke Jerram

  • 2008: Birmingham, UK | Sao Paulo

  • 2009: Sydney, Bury St. Edmunds | London | Bristol

  • 2010: Barcelona | Bath | New York | London | Blackburn & Burnley | Cincinnati | Belfast | San Jose | Pecs | Grand Rapids

  • 2011: Adelaide | Austin | Geneva | London | Tilburg | Malta

  • 2012: Los Angeles | London | Salt Lake City | Geneva | Paris | Toronto | Salem, Oregon | Toowoomba, Australia | Perth, Australia | Cambridge | Hangzhou, China

  • 2013: Monterey | Munich | Geneva | Paris | Cleveland | Omaha | Boston | Santiago

  • 2014: Melbourne | Mayaguez | Mexico City | Lima & Callao | Luxembourg | Grand Geneve | Albany, NY | Paris | Glasgow | Stoke-on-Trent | Nicosia

  • 2015: Florence, SC | Grand Geneve | Paris | Stockholm | Hong Kong | Canary Wharf | Munich | Canterbury

  • 2016: Mesa, AZ | Singapore | Florence, SC | Grand Geneve | Paris | Aberdeen | Munich | Boston

  • 2017: Florence, SC | Augsburg, Germany, Norfolk, VA | Munich

  • Website: Play Me, I'm Yours

  • Facebook: Play Me, I'm Yours International Home Page

Your Keys to the City - 2009
16th Street Mall
Annual Seasonal Public Piano Project

  • 16th Street Mall, Denver, CO, USA

  • 10 Pianos on the median between Tremont and Lawrence Streets

  • May through September and one month during the winter

  • Developed by the Downtown Denver Partnership

  • No project specific web presence

Pianos on the Street - 2009
Annual Public Piano Project

Keys for the City - 2010
Annual Public Piano Project

  • Lancaster, PA, USA

  • About a dozen pianos during the summer

  • Founded by the Music For Everyone

  • Website: Keys For The City

Sing For Hope Pianos - 2010 / 2011
Annual Public Piano Event

  • New York, New York, USA

  • Two week event

  • Co-Founded by Opera Singers Camille Zamora and Monica Yunus

  • First piano event presented in conjunction with 'Play Me, I'm Yours' in 2010

  • Hosted their own version of the event starting in 2011

  • Website: Sing For Hope

  • Facebook: Sing For Hope

Keys for the City - 2013
Annual Public Piano Event

  • St. Albert, Alberta, Canada

  • Part of the StArts Fest at the end of September

  • Founded by The St. Albert Cultivates the Arts Society

  • Website: StArt sFest, Keys For The City

Keys to the Streets - 2013
Annual Public Piano Event

Sunset Piano - 2013
Outdoor Piano Events

  • Founder: Mauro FFortissimo (Mauro Di Nucci)
    with Dean Mermell

  • OPUS I - 02/13 - Two Week Event

  • Half Moon Bay, California, USA

  • Grand piano rolle onto the bluffs over Half Moon Bay

  • Played the same Schumann Arabesque each night at sunset

  • Finale - Piano set ablaze on location

  • OPUS II - 07/13 - Two Week Event

  • San Mateo Coast, California, USA

  • Twelve pianos along coast on seaside cliffs, in hidden forests, even at the top of coastal mountains.

  • OPUS III - 02/14

  • Random piano appearances in SanFrancisco, CA, USA

  • BACH TO NATURE - 09/14 - One Month Event

  • Santa Clara County, CA USA

  • Four pianos in four parks

  • BACH TO NATURE II - 09/15 - One Month Event

  • Santa Clara County, CA USA

  • Five pianos in five parks

  • BACH TO NATURE III - 09/16 - One Month Event

  • Santa Clara County, CA USA

  • Five pianos in five parks

  • THE HALL ON MARKET ST - 09/16 - 3 Fridays

  • San Franscisco, CA, USA

  • MARKET ST PROTOTYPING FESTIVAL - 10/16 - 2 Day Event

  • San Francisco, CA, USA

  • Six pianos along Market Street

  • Website: SunsetPiano.com

  • Facebook: Facebook.com/Groups/SunsetPiano

Pianos For Peace - 2013
One Time Outdoor Piano Project

Pianos In Public Buffalo - 2013
Annual, Mostly Outdoor Piano Project

Pianos in the Parks - 2014
Annual Public Piano Event

Flower Piano - 2015
Annual Public Piano Event

  • San Francisco, CA, USA

  • 12 pianos over 12 days throughout the San Francisco Botanical Garden's 55 acres

  • Founded by Sunset Piano

  • Website: SFBotanicalGarden.org

St. Petersburg Public Piano Project - 2015
Annually Oct-May / Some are Indoors Year Round

In the Key of Davis - 2015
Annual Public Piano Event

  • Davis, CA, USA

  • 3 pianos (2015), 5 pianos (2016)

  • Summer months

  • Founded by sisters Hailey and Isabelle Shapiro

  • Facebook: Facebook.com/InTheKeyOfDavis

Jersey Street Pianos - 2015
One Time Public Piano Event (hoping to repeat)

#PlayMeHFX - 2015
Annual Public Piano Event

Pianos For Peace - 2016
Annual Public Piano Event

Pianos in Public Spaces - 2016
One Time Public Piano Event

  • San Diego, CA, USA

  • 10 pianos

  • One month event, January to February

  • San Diego Symphony

  • No project specific web presence

Permanent

Sharrow Vale Road Street Piano - 2003
1st Known Permanent Public Piano

  • Doug Pearman - Piano owner who couldn't get his piano up the stairs to his new flat

  • Hugh Jones - Cousin who had the idea to leave the piano on the street and put up a sign inviting passersby to play. The offer was taken up by a great many people and the piano became a part of the local community.

  • Sharrow Vale Road, Sheffield, England, UK

  • On the street from 2003 to 2008 (removed due to weather damage)

  • No project specific web presence

Public Piano Project - 2006
1st Known Planned Permanent Public Pianos

  • Joshua Tree, California, USA

  • Founder: 'Piano Bob' (Bob Fenger)

  • 2002 - Outside weatherproof public piano project began (built from 3 pianos)

  • PHASE I

  • 04/06 Pink Public Piano installed in front of Joshua Tree Health Foods (760) 366-7489

  • 01/07 Crayola Cola Public Piano #2 - The Beatnik Coffee House in Joshua Tree

  • 04/07 Public Piano #3 - Joshua Tree Hospice (host closed 2013)

  • 04/07 Public Piano #4 - A Road Side Attractions Art Gallery in 29 Palms (host closed 2014)

  • 05/08 Public Piano #5 - The Palms restaurant in Wonder Valley [Laura or James (760) 361-2810

  • PHASE II

  • 10/07 Public Piano Tour - Six months pushing the public piano 50 miles around the high desert

  • 11/10 Joshua Tree Village Market Piano - GAMELAN GANESH

  • PHASE III

  • 04/12 The first 'Prepared' Public Piano - Located outside the Coyote Showers (760) 366-9683 see on youtube (piano no longer there)

  • 05/12 The original Big Pink Public Piano at Joshua Tree Health Foods is now a 'Prepared' on you tube (the date taken from YouTube, it could be earlier)

  • PHASE IV

  • 12/12 Sashara : The Prepared and Unprepared Dueling Pianos For Peach Launch - Joshua Tree Hospice (12/21/12)

  • Website: PublicPiano.com

Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) - 2011

  • San Jose, CA, USA

  • 2 PIanos Have had an SJC Piano Playoff Video Contest

  • Terminal A in the "Blue Dot" meet and greet area, 2nd level across from the security checkpoint there's a "Play It Again" upright piano.

  • Terminal B Baggage Claim - A baby grand piano

  • In 2011 Held the SJC Piano Playoff Video Contest

  • *The pianos may have been there earlier, this is the earliest reference

  • No project specific web presence

Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) - 2012

  • Roissy, France

  • 4 pianos ?

  • Terminal B, a red upright piano (2012) by the walkway to B19-B22

  • Terminal 2E, a black upright (2013, 2015) by gates K32 and 33

  • Terminal 2E, a white Yamaha baby grand between M43 and M45 (2016)

  • Terminal 2F, a white Yamaha upright (2016) by the walkway to gates F21-F36

  • These dates reflect when the piano was spotted and uploaded to YouTube

  • No project specific web presence

French Train Stations - (2012)

  • About 100 pianos throughout the country's Bordeaux, Lille-Europe, Lyon St-Exupéry, Marseille St-Charles, Paris-Austerlitz, Paris-Lyon, Paris-Montparnasse, Rennes, Rouen, Strasbourg, Tours and Versailles-Chantiers train stations

  • Installed by S.N.C.F., the national railway company, rented from and tuned regularly by Yamaha

  • The first was placed in Gare Montparnasse in Paris (2012)

  • Nationwide Contest "Your Turn To Play", 900 participants submitted video clips (2014)

  • No project specific web presence

Herne Hill, South London, UK - 2012
The People's Piano - Community Street Piano

  • At the entrance/exit to the Herne Hill Station

  • Placed by a Herne Hill neighborhood association

  • 2016: The original piano was retired and a newly painted piano placed

  • No project specific web presence

Mansfield 88 Piano Project - 2012

  • Mansfield, Texas, USA

  • 11 of 88 pianos placed

  • Developed by 'Discover Historic Masfield'

  • 2012: Piano #1 Area Chamber of Commerce (sold at auction)
    Piano #2 Steven's Garden & Grill

  • Piano #3 Harris Cook Law

  • Piano #4 Minuteman Press

  • Piano #5 Lone Star Barbershop

  • 2013: Piano #9 A Baby Grand inside Music Place Mansfield

  • 2014: Piano #6 Masfield Economic Dev Corp
    Piano #7 Sold to Sparrows Tattoo

  • 2015: Piano #8 Leasor Crass Law
    Piano #10 Mansfield Mortgage Co

  • 2016: Piano #11 Chamber of Commerce (mosaic)

  • Facebook: Mansfield 88 Piano Project

  • Website: Discover Historic Mansfield,
    Mansfield 88, A Public Display of Interactive Art

Monte Carlo Train Station- (2013)

  • Monaco

  • A black upright piano is by the escalators along the train track

  • Installed by S.N.C.F., the national railway company in France

  • No project specific web presence

Orly Airport (ORY) - 2013

  • Partially in Orly and partially in Villeneuve-le-Roi, France

  • Red Upright (2013*)

  • White Yamaha Upright (2015*)

  • In the South Terminal's International Pier (communicated via press release) (2016)

  • These dates reflect when the piano was spotted and uploaded to YouTube

  • No project specific web presence

Pianos on the Street - 2013

Heathrow Airport (LHR) - 2013

  • London, England, UK

  • A black grand piano in the Arrivals Hall in Terminal 3 (2013*, 2015*)

  • A white grand "Play Me" piano in Terminal 4 (2014*)

  • A white upright (2014*)

  • A black upright "Play Me" piano by a "Costa" and an internet access area (2016*)

  • *These dates reflect when the piano was spotted and uploaded to YouTube

  • No project specific web presence

The Yellow Public Piano - 2013

  • National City, CA, USA (San Diego metropolitan area)

  • Outside the building that used to be the National City Library, but now houses a nonprofit by the name of ARTS (A Reason to Survive)

  • Sean Conway, the music director of ARTS is working with National City to find other places to put more pianos

  • No project specific web presence

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) - 2014

  • Charlotte, NC, USA

  • A grand piano in the Atrium near the food court, b the First in Flight Bar, in front of the rockers and below the USO

  • No project specific web presence

Huntsville International Airport (HSV) - 2014

  • Huntsville, AL, USA

  • A black grand piano in the public waiting area

  • No project specific web presence

Malta International Airport (MLA) - 2014

  • Island of Malta

  • A black Yamaha grand near the Wine Cafe (2014*)

  • A black Yamaha grand near the Agenda Bookshop (2015*)

  • A black Yamaha grand near the WH Smith shop (2016)

  • *These dates reflect when the piano was spotted and uploaded to YouTube. It could be the same piano being relocated?

  • No project specific web presence

Sheffield Train Station - 2015

  • Sheffield, U.K.

  • 2 pianos opposite the Upper Crust and Caffe Ritazza

  • Founded by Jason Cocker Nick Bell

  • They are opposite the Upper Crust and Caffe Ritazza

  • No project specific web presence

Play Me Again Pianos - 2016

  • Atlanta, GA, USA

  • Founded by Jason, Kelly and Nico Brett

  • 13 of 88 pianos placed

  • 2016: Chastain Park Playground | Woodruff Center for the Arts, Sifly Piazza | Woodruff Center for the Arts, Callaway Plaza | Colony Square

  • 2017: Dunwoody Nature Center | Chambee Rail Trail | Ashford Park in Brookhaven | East Cobb Park | Ponce City Market | Atlantic Station | Cogburn Road Park in Alpharetta | Tommy at the Egg Harbor Cafe - East Cobb

  • 2018: Mt. Vernon Presbyterian Church in Sandy Springs | Seven in Progress

  • Website: Play Me Again Pianos

  • Facebook: Play Me Again Pianos

Links to Maps of Permanent Public Pianos

Pianos in Public Buffalo Map - Public pianos located around Western New York State

Public Pianos in Metro Atlanta Map - Maintained by Play Me Again Pianos

St. Petersburg Public Piano Project Map - Maintained by the St. Petersburg Public Piano Project in Florida

Street Pianos of the UK Map - Maintained by Instrument of Change / Street Piano Film

Links to Other Lists of Public Pianos

( CONTENT NOT RESEARCHED OR VERIFIED )

Airport Pianos Wiki - Find and post locations of public pianos at airports, train stations, and other travel hubs (and public spaces) worldwide.

20+ Beautiful Outdoor Pianos You Can Play All Around The World - Appeared on Bored Panda

30 Gorgeous Outdoor Pianos You Can Play All Around The World - Appeared on EarthPorm.com

 

Facebook Group:  Public Piano Administrators and Volunteers

Created by the founder of the St. Petersburg Public Piano Project, Joshua Streeter
It's a closed group, though please request to join if you work on a public piano project