Ace Hotel & Martin Guitar Expand Partnership With Music Outreach Programs, Concerts & More

Morgan Greenwald
·2 min read

In an effort to widen public outreach and support music education nationwide, Ace Hotel and Martin Guitar are expanding their evolving partnership with music outreach programs, live concerts and more.

This year, the two brands are teaming up for String Theory With Doug Hream Blunt, a music outreach program that will incorporate record label Luaka Bop and signees Doug Hream Blunt and welcome a new string of live concerts at the Ace Hotels in New York, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and New Orleans. To benefit local adult education and music therapy centers, all proceeds from each live performance will be donated and Martin guitars will be gifted after each show.

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In addition, the two brands have also announced the Ace X Martin High Note Micro-Granting Program, which will provide micro-grants to artists in Pittsburgh and New Orleans, two cities that the companies have deemed lacking in arts funding. Musicians in these cities will be nominated via an open-call, community-driven process, which intends to look beyond traditional methods of funding.

“Five years ago when I started at Martin, I wanted us to partner with a hotel but could not find the right creative ‘fit’ until I discovered the Ace Hotels,” said Amani Duncan, vice president of brand marketing at Martin Guitar. “We started small and over the years grew together pushing creative boundaries, which for me is the ideal foundation for a trustworthy and lasting relationship. I consider the Ace to be one of our best marketing collaborations. Its certainly my ‘home away from home’ whenever I travel.”

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Ace Hotel and Martin Guitar first teamed up in 2012 when the two brands presented Trampled by Turtles in Liberty Hall at Ace Hotel New York. Since then, the two brands have come together to provide a musical experience to Ace Hotel residents.

Guests who stay at an Ace Hotel location in New York, London, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh or New Orleans have the option of staying in a room equipped with their own Martin Guitar, where they can practice their strumming skills. The hotel also has a 5 at 5 program, which offers live performances by touring musicians such as Father John Misty and Flo Morrissey at the Ace Hotels in New York and Los Angeles.

“The level of trust and creative spirit we have fostered for the past five years with Martin Guitar has really allowed us to push the boundaries of our work together,” said Kelly Sawdon, partner and chief brand officer at Ace Hotel. “From hosting shows in our public spaces, to having beautifully crafted guitars in our hotel rooms for our guests to use, we couldn’t be more excited and honored to further this collaboration into fostering local musicians and their communities.”

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