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    Contact: Michelle Battle, United Way of Greater Cleveland, 216-436-2121
    Matt McManus, United Way of Greater Cleveland, Senior Writer, 216-436-2122
      GuitarManiaŽ Returns! Press Conference on October 30, 2006, 11:30 a.m. at the Rock Hall

      October 17, 2006 (Cleveland, Ohio)
      United Way of Greater Cleveland's GuitarManiaŽ, the public art project that rocked Cleveland in 2002 and 2004, will return to Cleveland streets in summer 2007, and a press conference to announce its return is scheduled for Monday, October 30, 11:30 a.m. at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

      The project consists of oversize FenderŽ StratocasterŽ guitars that are creatively transformed into works of art by local artists and national celebrities and displayed on the city streets of Cleveland for residents and visitors to enjoy from June through fall 2007. Corporations, organizations and individuals sponsor the guitars and select from a variety of local artists to paint, sculpt or decorate them. Celebrity artists are also recruited to paint and decorate guitars. At the end of the display period the guitars are auctioned at a gala event at the Rock Hall, unless the corporate sponsors buy back their guitars for permanent display at their company.

      "We are pleased to announce the return of GuitarMania's oversize guitars transformed into works of art," said K. Michael Benz, United Way President and CEO. "This project has raised more than $1.6 million to support the health and human service programs in the community and the Rock Hall's education fund."

      Terry Stewart, Rock Hall CEO, will join Benz at the GuitarMania project kickoff, where several guitars from previous events will be displayed. Mayor Frank Jackson is the Honorary Chairman of GuitarMania.

      2007 GuitarMania Facts:

    • GuitarMania benefits United Way's nearly 180 health and human service programs provided by more than 130 partner agencies and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's education fund
    • Two SuperSponsors have committed to GuitarMania:

      • Eaton Corporation
      KeyCorp
    • Additional project sponsors include: Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, Clear Channel, Cleveland Magazine, cleveland.com, Continental Airlines, Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland, The Plain Dealer, Sherwin-Williams and Turner Construction.
    • Guitar sponsorships are available for $7,500, which includes a permanent plaque on the guitar recognizing the sponsor and the artist, a half-page ad in the special supplement to The Plain Dealer, a full-page ad on GuitarMania's Web site at cleveland.com/guitarmania, a quarter-page ad in Cleveland Magazine and regionally in Ohio Magazine, and two tickets to the live auction. Forty-three guitar sponsors have committed to date.
    • Guitars will be displayed on Cleveland streets from Memorial Day to Labor Day in 2007; then the guitars return to the Rock Hall for auction in late 2007.
    • GuitarMania supports local artists by welcoming them to submit their guitar designs to a jury of artists, who will approve possible designs for the corporate sponsors' selection to become guitars.
    • Three celebrities have committed to create guitars, including Shannon, who is known nationally for her Beatles art.


      • For more information about GuitarManiaŽ, please contact Michelle Battle at 216-436-2121 or mbattle@uws.org. For more information about United Way of Greater Cleveland or the 2006 United Way Campaign, please visit uws.org

      United Way of Greater Cleveland is a leading convener and funder of partnerships focused on solutions for our community's health and human service priorities. United Way is one of the largest non-governmental funders of health and human services in Greater Cleveland, supporting nearly 180 programs provided by more than 130 United Way partner agencies. Each year, over 400,000 Greater Clevelanders are helped by United Way-funded programs.



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