Bloodworks Northwest and The Residency joined forces to create Where the Heart Lives, a free, high-energy hip-hop performance created to empower high school and college students across Western Washington and Oregon to become blood donors.
And the response has been unmistakable. Students aren’t simply sitting in an auditorium listening to a presentation. They’re on their feet, singing along, connecting with artists their own age, and discovering how original music, beats, poetry, dance, and personal stories can transform an important health message into an experience they won’t soon forget.
New in the 2026/27 school year, the first 10 schools to book a performance can apply for a $500 grant and 3 guitars from Free Guitars 4 Kids for their music department. Because sometimes, the most powerful way to get young people talking about blood donation is to give them something worth shouting about.
Visit WhereTheHeartLives.org to learn more and book a performance at your school.
Hit the road with artist Maia Gaiia to see what it’s all about:
Tell Us What You Think!