Helping The music community Grow & Thrive in Cleveland, Ohio Ohio

Here are some highlights from a busy 2025:

  • We allocated over $65,000 in direct funding to 220+ local musicians, empowering them with official contracts and giving them the resources they need to create, perform, and thrive.

  • We brought live, original music to over 160,000 virtual and live audiences across our city.

  • We organized 45+ events in 2025, including free community concerts, workshops, songwriter showcases, mental health discussions,
    a street-wide music festival, and more. 

  • We provided on-site resources and booking opportunities to musicians at major festivals and events and expanded our community partnerships and outreach, collaborating with Cleveland’s best art, music and film festivals, independent venues, small businesses, and more.

  • Our Music Incubator program thrived with 7 participants in 2025 – with some artists experiencing career highs such as embarking on regional and coastal tours, signing with independent record labels, winning prestigious awards, securing gigs on the main stage at major festivals, and more. 

  • CR:PPF partnered with D-Tour, Live Music Society, and One Night Live to produce an 11-date regional tour in November for Music Incubator alumni Kid Tigrrr.

If you celebrate live music, or love someone who does, now is the time to support your local music community.

Two stages of music hosted by Cleveland Rocks:PPF at the Waterloo Arts Fest

CLEVELAND IS A MUSIC CITY

Creating opportunities to connect musicians and community.

Waterloo Makes Music:
The Modern Kollective
Big Hoke

Fri, September 4

Sound of the Land:
Jeffrey Cruz

Wed, September 16
LOOKING AHEAD

SAT, SEPT. 12
Waterloo Arts Fest
Two stages of music hosted by Cleveland Rocks:PPF!

FRI, OCT. 2
Waterloo Makes Music:
Frida and the Mann
Nature Nvoke

FRI, DEC. 4
Waterloo Makes Music:
Fox Ears
Moon Echo Garden

Sat, November 7, 2026

Live Local Entertainment
Raffles & Auction
Guest Speakers
Community, Vision & Purpose

2026 Music Incubator Class

CR:PPF’s Music Incubator Program connects local artists with project-based microloans, mentorship, networking, workshops, professional development, and performance opportunities. 

RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Grants for Musicians

Boost Fund

$1,500 in grant funding
for Cuyahoga County artists

Deadline: Aug. 24, 2026
Learn More

Workshops for Musicians

From EPK to the Stage: Booking Festivals and Venues

Mon, September 14, 2026  | Cleveland Rocks Shop
Free Event

Volunteer with Us

WATERLOO ARTS FEST
Sept. 12, 2026 | Waterloo Arts District
Sign-Up Here
WAX & TRACKS FEST
Sept. 19, 2026 | The Vinyl Groove
Sign-Up Here

Check out our Local Resource Guide. More than 200+ local resources for musicians!

Play a 2×4 Songwriter Showcase. Held monthly – 4 artists, 2 songs each.

Cleveland Rocks Shop

Open Fri and Sun, 12-4pm!

Located at 15801 Waterloo Rd. in the Waterloo Arts District, the Cleveland Rocks Shop is Cleveland Rocks:PPF’s all local music and merch retail store and community gathering space. Learn more.

EARN MORE MONEY / Sell your Music and Merch in our retail store
HOST AN EVENT / Release and Listening Parties, Open Mics, Jams, & more
ATTEND AN EVENT / Monthly Workshops and 2x4 Songwriter Showcases

Watch our monthly livestreams, interviews, and videos

Programs and Initiatives

Waterloo Makes Music

A free monthly concert series showcasing local musicians.

Workshops & 2x4s

A free monthly music education series and songwriter showcase.

Cleveland Rocks Shop

A retail store for local music and community gathering space. 

Music Incubator Program

The Music Incubator program offers low-interest loans to artists to help fund creative projects.

Soul City Cleveland

A culturally responsive community arts pilot that connects youth to elder Black artists. 

Livestreams

Cleveland Rocks: PPF is capturing Cleveland music history. Check out our archive of live event streams.

WMM
Workshops

MERCH WITH A MISSION

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