ABOUT
Who we are
TRANSFORMING DECOMMISSIONED WEAPONS INTO MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
There are currently more firearms than humans beings in the United States.
Over 389 million firearms are in the hands of everyday citizens; twice the number in the possession of every law enforcement and military in the world combined. Hundreds of thousands of these guns have been deactivated, decommissioned, or are no longer wanted.
Armory of Harmony (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit) repurposes unwanted firearms by upcycling the gunmetal into new musical instruments. AoH donates the instruments to public school music programs around the country. We foster a dialogue of harmony and hope with the power of music.
FORBES article
SUPPORTING SCHOOL MUSIC PROGRAMS
Due to lack of funds for the arts, there aren’t enough musical instruments to support a national K-12 music program.
Joining student music groups gives kids an opportunity to be a part of something larger than themselves.
Studies have shown that schools with music programs have higher attendance and graduation rates and lower incidents of violence than those without.
“one good thing about music: when it hits you, you feel no pain”
- Bob Marley
KIDS NEED more music and fewer weapons
It’s really quite simple. Studies have shown that schools that have music programs have a higher graduation rate and lower incidence of violence on school grounds. For the last few decades arts education funding has been slashed so many schools can no longer afford to lend instruments to kids.
US SCHOOLS WITH MUSIC PROGRAMS*
Attendance rate: 93.9%
Graduation rate: 90.2%
US SCHOOLS WITHOUT MUSIC PROGRAMS*
Attendance rate: 84.9%
Graduation rate: 72.9%
There are five firearms for every K-12 school child in the United States. For the third straight year, firearms killed more children and teens, ages 1 to 17, than any other cause including car crashes and cancer. More than 9 children a day lose their life to a weapon. Armory of Harmony is resolutely apolitical on the issue of gun control and regulation; offering a space for discourse.
Each year, tens of thousands of guns are turned into scrap metal that can be up-cycled into instruments for future musicians to start making some noise.
THE PROCESS
We work with established buy-back programs and police departments to collect unwanted and decommissioned weapons from around the country. We shred and smelt them into raw ingots.
We then refine the ingots to production-quality bars and work with our manufacturing partners to utilize the metal to make and brand musical instruments for high school and college marching bands and ensembles.
Each item is stamped with the Armory of Harmony logo and we carefully track and document the metal as it receives a new lease on life.
MUSIC IS A VESSEL FOR UNITY AND HEALING
What makes our nation indivisible is how we ultimately unite in the face of adversity. While we strain under the discord over our second amendment rights, there can be harmony in the things we share in common, no matter our creed. We have reached a critical national inflection point. Some thrive on division. Others focus on humanity and our common traits.
Music is the universal language that brings us together. It heals and inspires us to be the best version of ourselves. Armory of Harmony represents the intersection of perspectives: mental health is an important aspect of gun safety. An instrument in the hand of child is a vessel for unity and healing.
*National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation, October 2018
