Empowering Local Artists
Our Mission
Music City Artist Development is dedicated to supporting the Bay Area music scene. Our mission is to reclaim San Francisco’s place as a global music capital by supporting and nurturing a cultural ecosystem that enables musicians and performing artists to live, grow, and thrive in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.
Who we are
Music City Artist Development 501c3
Music City Artist Development is an award-winning 501(c)(3) non-profit with over six years of experience supporting Bay Area arts and culture. Music City Artist Development is dedicated to supporting the Bay Area music scene.
Our initiatives include:
- Booking commission-free gigs for local musicians, continuing a 6+ year track record of over 300 gigs booked annually
- Complete and grow the ONLY San Francisco Music Hall of Fame, preserving local music history, attracting tourism, and supporting the city’s economy
- Provide educational scholarships for underserved musicians through our education and artist development programs
- Develop new artist programs and initiatives to nurture talent and strengthen community
- Operational and administrative needs, including office space and staff to support and accelerate our positive impact on the San Francisco Music ecosystem and the Bay Area economy
A HOME FOR MUSICIANS IN SAN FRANCISCO
The rising cost of living in San Francisco has eroded the many opportunities that musicians once had, and despite technology’s quick access to a musician’s work, the lack of a centralized physical community has impaired people’s ability to connect on a human level. Music City Artist Development, along with Music City Starfactory, stands as that community.
In 2020, the City of San Francisco commissioned a Sound Diplomacy study to identify a plan to rebuild arts and culture in the city. A hub for music was identified as a prime solution to bringing back a vibrant music scene in San Francisco. This hub – cited in the study as Music City Hit Factory, now known as The Starfactory – stands as an integral partner in Music City Artist Development’s mission to re-establish San Francisco’s place as a city for musicians.
The Starfactory is a musical incubator and an epicenter for the performing arts rooted in the belief that musical talent and creativity continue to be drawn to the San Francisco Bay Area. Through brick and mortar, built by hands and hearts, our objective is simple: to nourish and sustain the future of music in the city, as well as the musician. The Starfactory combines seven live performance venues, a bar and restaurant, a recording studio, a broadcasting hub, plug and play rehearsal studios, Music City Accelerator providing education for aspiring artists, and a hotel/hostel for the traveling musician.
A letter from Rudy Colombini
Dear Friends, Neighbors, and Supporters of San Francisco’s Music Community,
I’m reaching out personally because I’ve spent the last 25 years building something I believe is the perfect gift for San Francisco, a place that is shaping the future of music and culture in our city: Music City Starfactory.
Now, we need your help to ensure that this gift survives, grows, and thrives.I’m asking you to support Music City Artist Development, our 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to nurturing the local music ecosystem. With your support, our award-winning charity can secure the future of this cultural epicenter and take it to the next level.
How Your Support Will Be Used
Your contribution directly fuels programs that make a real difference:
- Educational scholarships for underserved musicians through our education and artist development programs
- Completion and growth of the ONLY San Francisco Music Hall of Fame, preserving local music history, attracting tourism, and supporting the city’s economy
- Booking commission-free gigs for local musicians, continuing a 6+ year track record of over 300 performances annually
- Developing new artist programs and initiatives to nurture talent and strengthen community
- Operational and administrative support, including staffing and office resources, to maintain and expand our positive impact
A Personal Note From My Heart – Imagine a World without Music
I have dedicated my life, my heart, and every resource I could gather to building a place where artists of every background, every age, and every dream can come together, to learn, collaborate, perform, grow, and be part of something bigger than themselves.If music has touched your life, inspired you, or given you hope for the future of San Francisco, I ask, from my heart, that you stand with us now.Every donation keeps the music alive. Every contribution helps protect something irreplaceable. Every act of support moves us closer to a stronger, more vibrant San Francisco.
Why This Matters to San Francisco
When you support Music City Artist Development, you’re:
- Investing in your own backyard
- Rebuilding San Francisco from the inside out
- Creating a stage for the city — and the world
- Supporting a scalable creative engine with global reach
- Helping shape San Francisco’s next golden age
Art is not a luxury. Art is infrastructure. Art is community. And without it, cities die.
All Donations Are Tax-Deductible
Music City Artist Development is a registered 501(c)(3). Every gift supports our programs, our artists, and the city.
Your support stays local and creates global impact:
- Supporting local businesses, tourism, and community revitalization
- Helping nurture the next generation of artists
- Sustaining a 6+ year, award-winning nonprofit
Together, we can continue delivering The Perfect Gift to San Francisco: a vibrant, thriving, and inclusive music community.
With gratitude and love, Rudy ColombiniFounder Music City Starfactory Music City Artist Development, 501(c)3
