GuitarMania is back in Cleveland for the fourth time since 2002. The event is a Greater Cleveland community public art project that aims to raise funds for its two benefiting charities, United Way of Greater Cleveland and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s education programs. Last Friday, 60 custom-designed, 10 foot tall Fender Stratocaster replica guitars were unveiled at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. They will be put on display on the streets of Cleveland today, for residents and visitors to enjoy until Labor Day weekend when they will be auctioned off to raise money for the two charities.
The past three previous GuitarMania campaigns raised a total of $2 million, including a $100,000 guitar created by Beatle John Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono. This year, sponsors secured by United Way paid $7,500 each for one of the giant guitars, created by the Fender Guitar Co. Artists where then chosen and hired by the sponsors to decorate the guitars for display.
When the guitars go up for auction, the original sponsors will get the first shot at buying back their guitars for an additional $7,500; otherwise they will go to the highest bidder.
This year’s sponsors include Alice Cooper, Cyndi Lauper, and Def Leppard co-lead guitarist Phil Collen.
