Minnesota nonprofit, Campfire Music Foundation, is developing a public-benefit model for streaming, aiming to create fairer pay for musicians.
A group of students created Campfire as a final project at Georgetown University in response to long-standing concerns about the music industry, particularly the way streaming services pay artists, according to the foundation’s website. Johannes Larson, the foundation’s founder and president, said that the idea to expand a class project into a nonprofit came from a mix of personal experience and mentorship.
“What inspired me was the opportunity to create an impact on different artists,” Larson said. “Through a combination of mentors at Georgetown, being an artist myself playing drums, being a music advocate and having a computer science background, I realized that how artists are getting paid is the real problem. Tech could be really good if (it was) built the right way.”
The initiative has since grown into a registered nonprofit organization supported by musicians, industry experts and advocacy groups.
Campfire’s website states that they are guided by core values of equity, transparency, and philanthropy. They strive to treat artists and partners fairly, sharing clear information about royalties and platform data and reinvesting all revenue to support artists and the creative economy.
With the underlying economics and the lack of innovation for artists and fans, they also seek to create long-term impact by focusing on ethical tools for artist-user connections and promoting education and advocacy in the music streaming industry.
Symone Wilson, a musician and director with Campfire, said she was drawn to the organization because she wanted to see the Twin Cities and Minnesota music scene flourish. After performing a show, she met Larson and quickly recognized the opportunity to platform musicians beyond her own work.
“I’ve been working in artist development and resource programs for over ten years, through organizations like the Minnesota Music Coalition and United Artist Collaborative. When (Johannes) and I met, our goals aligned so well that joining the board was an easy yes,” Symone said.
But that process hasn’t come without challenges.
“It’s not necessarily a struggle, but being a nonprofit and being a charity requires a different mindset,” Larson said. “All revenue goes directly back into the organization. We’ve had serious traction, but it’s about not rushing steps and learning along the way.”
Symone said that part of that learning curve has been connecting directly with artists and audiences and emphasized the importance of in-person collaboration.
“Most of our board meetings are online; after staring at a screen, in-person work is really meaningful,” Symone said. “Being around people who share the goal of improving the music industry, especially here in Minnesota, fuels me.”
The foundation has also hosted concerts and events while building its platform.
“It’s exciting raising money and getting to work with artists,” Larson said. “They’ve put on concerts bringing in local artists, speaking to college campuses and engaging with the community.”
Looking ahead, Larson said Campfire hopes to improve not only music streaming but also the broader conversation about technology and cultural policy.
“For the past five years, a lot of decisions in tech have been made for profit, and they aren’t always good for customers,” Larson said. “We want to provide an example that there’s a way to build tech that doesn’t take advantage of users. It can actually be a better user experience.”
Reagan Boschulte can be reached at bosc3829@stthomas.edu.
