Make some music at Artsplosure

Terri Dollar figures everybody knows how to play at least one song on the piano.

And even if you don't, that's OK.

Six pianos have been rolled into place for Artsplosure, Raleigh’s premier arts festival taking place this weekend, so those who go can tickle the ivories just for fun.

“We want people to play them,” Dollar said. “They're not here just to look at. They're here to play.”

Dollar turned to Craigslist to discover many people with old pianos they didn’t want anymore.

“If they wanted $100 for it, I'd say, 'Would you give it to us for free? Would you like to donate it for a really cool project?’” she said.

Nonprofit groups decorated the donated pianos and will get to keep them when the public art project is over at the end of the month.

Most have been tuned, and there’s a tarp to cover each one if it rains.

“It makes you feel better – the arts just make people feel better,” Dollar said. “Music is like food for the soul.”