Be Hope, Play Loud: Yinka Ilori’s Piano Turns Carnaby Street into a Stage
By Jill Dando News
Carnaby Street has a bold new soundtrack — and a message the world needs to hear.
For the next three weeks, a strikingly colourful piano designed by celebrated British-Nigerian artist and designer Yinka Ilori MBE will be open for the public to play at Kingly Court, offering Londoners the chance to make music — and hope — in the heart of the city.
The interactive artwork, emblazoned with the words Be Hope, celebrates the launch of the first-ever United Nations International Day of Hope.
This new annual global day, marked on July 12, aims to “disrupt despair” and reignite belief in a better future for people, planet, and peace.
Ilori’s piano was unveiled with surprise performances from Camden Stewart, Rae Morris, and the London Youth Choir, stopping crowds in their tracks with spontaneous songs of solidarity and joy.
“In times when it’s difficult to find common ground, one thing we all share is hope,” said Ilori. “This piano is a seed of hope — planted in public space — that I hope grows into something joyful and sustaining for everyone who plays or hears it.”
A Global Day, Backed by Real Progress
The Day of Hope isn’t just about symbolism — it’s grounded in real, measurable progress. Despite the crises of recent years, the world has made significant strides:
- 50 million more girls are in school globally than in 2015.
- HIV infections are down by 60%, child deaths have halved, and millions of malaria cases have been prevented.
- Deforestation in the Amazon fell by over 30% in 2024.
- Extreme poverty has dropped by more than 50% since 2000, with fewer than 10% of people now living below the extreme poverty line.
- Over 90% of the world now has access to internet and clean energy.
These wins — often overlooked — are the heartbeat of the new Be Hope campaign, created by The Global Goals in partnership with Ilori and Droga5 Dublin.
They prove that when nations act together, even the toughest challenges can be overcome.
“HIV was once a death sentence,” said Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, CEO of the ONE Campaign. “Now, over 30 million people are alive because of access to treatment. That didn’t happen by accident — it happened because people believed progress was possible.”
A Piano With a Future
When its time on Carnaby Street ends, Ilori’s piano won’t disappear. It will be donated to the Isaac Paulos Centre in North Kensington — a community-led space for healing, created in memory of five-year-old Isaac Paulos, one of 72 victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
The piano will also support music and arts programmes at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, located near the Grenfell site.
“For our children, hope isn’t optional — it’s essential,” said Executive Headteacher Kathleen Williams. “This piano will bring light and creativity into our classrooms and community, reminding us that joy can grow even in the most painful soil.”
The Be Hope campaign continues throughout the year, with hope-themed activities in Liverpool schools, events at the UN General Assembly in New York, G20 Johannesburg, and COP30 in Brazil.
Because hope doesn’t ignore the challenges we face — it dares us to meet them. And sometimes, it sounds like music on a London street.
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