Pop Culture, HIV & AIDS

Just stumbled across this organization's work, while listening to a beautiful Feist & Ben Gibbard cover of Vashti Bunyan's Train Song, on youtube.

The cover is included on the benefit album "Dark Was The Night", which was released on February 17th, 2009. The compilation contains 31 exclusive tracks, and is available as a double cd/triple vinyl/download. Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National produced the album, and John Carlin, the founder of the Red Hot Organization was the executive producer. The album is a benefit for the Red Hot Organization.



The Red Hot Organization is the leading international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.

Since 1989, Red Hot has produced fourteen groundbreaking albums, related television programs and media events incorporating the talents of leading performers, visual artists, producers and directors to raise funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS.

To date, these efforts have donated nearly 7 million dollars for AIDS relief around the world.

Recognizing that traditional methods of health education were misdirected and largely ineffective, The Red Hot Organization began an innovative effort that strategically uses mass media to raise AIDS awareness, and insert discussion about the issues which surround it into the popular lexicon.

Red Hot's ongoing work as a pro-social production company that artists trust with their creative work sets it apart from most charitable groups. By producing artist-driven projects that integrate elements from music, film and other arts to both entertain and educate, Red Hot has broken down the traditional barriers between education, fundraising and entertainment.

With their critical success, Red Hot's innovative projects have set the standard of artistic excellence for philanthropic efforts within the music and television industry.

While marketing these AIDS-awareness related products in music and the arts, Red Hot has also raised urgently-needed funds for critical areas of AIDS research and education. Grants are awarded in keeping with the priorities of the epidemic in cooperation with existing AIDS organizations, such as the National Minority AIDS Council, ensuring that scarce moneys will be used to their best effect.

Revenues from the sale of our albums and videos in foreign countries remain within each country to help support local AIDS prevention and relief.

For more info, check out the organization's website.