Austin, TX, March 3, 2026: Artist For Artist® announces the return of Take Action x SXSW, a two-day official SXSW showcase and summit panel series presented by Let Music Fill My World and Artist For Action®, taking place March 16 – 17 at Inn Cahoots. Centered on harnessing the power of music to create change, there will be performances across two stages including sets from Passion Pit, John Popper of Blues Traveler, Five For Fighting, Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show, Neil Giraldo of Benatar + Giraldo, His Lordship, Sexpop, OKAN, Micah Edwards, Addie Weyrich, Buddy Red & more. Registration for the event is here. Images available here.
This year, participating organizations include Let Music Fill My World, Music Impact Coalition, Artist For Action®, Comedy Gives Back, American Songwriter, Bandsintown, Iceland Music, Calm & Collected Music Group, Foundation for Social Connection Action Network, GigSalad, Groover, Music Managers Forum-US, RWS Global, Sandy Hook Promise, Sungate Records, 2112 and The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus.
According to Michael Angelakos, Passion Pit, Artist/Mental Health Advocate, “My grandmother, who remains my greatest inspiration, once said: ‘Our main purpose in life is not to make money, or to have a good time, or to earn fame in society; our purpose is to serve others–to be of assistance to those who need help.’ I live my life by her words, echoed by my great-grandmother before her and my mother after her, along with my clinicians and closest guides: we were put on this earth to help others. It is truly an honor to be called upon to join Artist For Action for Take Action x SXSW.”
In collaboration with Bandsintown and Music Managers Forum-US, Artist For Artist® is curating the Take Action x SXSW Music Summit daytime panels featuring artists, industry leaders, managers, executives, activists, and organizations. This will include topics such as mental health in music, the social power of music, unlocking live fan engagement, turning music IP deals into experiences, and navigating the world of music rights, royalties, and first-party data.
Let Music Fill My World, the nonprofit founded by GRAMMY®-nominated singer-songwriter John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting and Cayley Tull of the Tullman Family Office, will celebrate the launch of the newly formed MIC: Music Impact Coalition, a national alliance of more than 20 of the country’s leading music and arts foundations and organizations aligned around a shared mission of ensuring every student in America has access to high quality music and arts education. Additionally, Let Music Fill My World recently announced the return of its annual “Music Matters Challenge” campaign. The online challenge invites individuals and schools across the country to create an original rendition of the chorus of the Five For Fighting song “Let Music Fill My World” along with sharing a personal story about how music has positively influenced their lives. On-site participants will be able to record their submissions live on The John Lennon Education Tour Bus and then win special premium merch capsules celebrating the challenge and a chance to win from over $335,000 worth of cash awards and prizes. Full details about the Music Matters Challenge are available at https://letmusicfillmyworld.org/challenge.
“At SXSW, creativity meets conviction,” said Cayley Tull, Co-Founder of Let Music Fill My World and President of Tullman Family Office. “When this many creative powerhouses collide, it sparks more than conversation — it drives action. We’re here to amplify that energy and demonstrate that music isn’t background noise. It’s one of the most powerful tools we have to create meaningful change.”
“As with previous years, Take Action x SXSW is designed to build new and lasting connections within the social impact and independent music community” said Artist For Artist® and Artist For Action® Co-Founder Matthew Reich.
ABOUT LET MUSIC FILL MY WORLD:
In 2023, Grammy®-nominated artist John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting and Cayley Tull, President of the Tullman Family Office founded Let Music Fill My World (LMFMW), a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to music education in communities where it is most needed. The initiative launched at Farragut Career Academy in Chicago, where Ondrasik collaborated with eight students to co-write an original song, Let Music Fill My World, drawing directly from the students’ lived experiences with music.
While decades of research underscore the role of music education in improving academic outcomes, strengthening social-emotional development, and increasing graduation rates, arts programs continue to be disproportionately cut in schools nationwide. Established as an independent 501(c)(3) and fully funded by the Tullman Family Office, LMFMW was created to move beyond a single collaboration and drive long-term, systemic impact.
Through strategic investments, cross-sector partnerships, and compelling storytelling, Let Music Fill My World works to ensure that every student—regardless of ZIP code—has access to high-quality music education and the opportunity to reach their full potential. Learn more at letmusicfillmyworld.org
ABOUT MIC (MUSIC IMPACT COALITION)
Founded in 2025, the Music Impact Coalition (MIC) is a national alliance of more than 20 of the country’s leading music and arts foundations and organizations aligned around a shared mission: ensuring every student in America has access to and the ability to participate in high quality music and arts education, regardless of circumstance, location, or resources. By bringing together nonprofits, cultural institutions, educators, and research organizations, MIC works to advance equitable access to music education through collaboration, shared learning, and scalable solutions that strengthen public education and student wellbeing nationwide.
The program will kick off in North Carolina in Fall 2026 with this marking the start of a multi-state pilot initiative, funded through a $2 Million grant from Let Music Fill My World, that will test scalable models for equitable music education in public schools, with the goal of removing barriers to access and participation in music and arts education nationwide.
Members of the coalition include Adopt the Arts, Americans for the Arts, Artist For Artist®, Arts Education Partnership, Creating Abundance Collaborative, D’Addario Foundation, Give a Note Foundation, GRAMMY Museum, Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts, The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, Let Music Fill My World, Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, Music Will, The NAMM Foundation, NASAA, National Association for Music Education, NORC, Save The Music, the Recording Academy®, and Tullman Family Office.
ABOUT ARTIST FOR ARTIST® / ARTIST FOR ACTION®:
Founded in 2018 by Matthew Reich and Neal Saini, Artist For Artist® (AFA) is a New York City-based experiential agency specializing in music and culture. As former bandmates with years of industry experience, Reich and Saini bring both artistic credibility and business acumen to music-related campaigns, enabling them to create authentic partnerships between brands and musicians that deliver lasting impact. From intimate sessions to global campaigns, AFA helps partners craft moments that resonate. Reich and Saini also founded Artist For Action®, a coalition of musicians – including Billie Eilish, Peter Gabriel, Sheryl Crow, and Kevin Bacon – dedicated to ending gun violence and raising mental health awareness.
ABOUT THE TULLMAN FAMILY OFFICE:
The Tullman Family Office (TFO) is the engine behind the philanthropic, political, and social impact efforts of the Chicago-based Tullman Family. By pairing strategic investments with high-impact grantmaking and community-driven partnerships, TFO works to advance equity, expand opportunity, and catalyze change on some of today’s most urgent issues. Its initiatives span education, economic mobility, healthcare, civic engagement, and innovation in public systems—all rooted in a deep belief in human potential and the power of collective action. Learn more at tullmanfamilyoffice.org
