5 Kickstarter Projects Keeping Independent Art Alive Right Now | Craft Services
If you’ve spent any time on Kickstarter lately, you’ll know it’s quietly full of passion projects that might not make the front page, but absolutely should. From restoring lost sounds to reviving historic stages and building the next great indie album, here are five live campaigns that show just how varied— and vital crowdfunding can be.
🎬 Bring God Said Give ’Em Drum Machines (Detroit, MI)
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This documentary captures the birth of techno straight from Detroit’s original innovators. It’s already been on the festival circuit, but this campaign gives it the push it needs to clear music licensing and distribution costs so the film can finally stream worldwide. For anyone who cares about the lineage of modern electronic music, this one’s essential.
📻 The Philo Vance Radio Program Digital Preservation Project (Chicago, IL)
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Preserving 104 transcription discs from one of radio’s golden-age mystery series, this project is a dream for archivists and collectors. It’s led by veteran radio historian Carl Amari, who’s been digitizing rare discs for decades. Every dollar raised brings another set of vintage recordings back from the brink.
🎥 The Ash Grove – Finishing Funds (Los Angeles, CA)
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A legendary 1960s L.A. folk and blues venue that hosted legends like Pete Seeger and Joan Baez is getting its story told on film. The Ash Grove documentary is deep into post-production, and this campaign will help polish sound, color, and final editing. It’s a piece of music history being lovingly restored by people who lived it.
🎶 Rebel Joy: Help Bring Roswell Road’s Debut Album to Life (London, UK)
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This pair of London songwriters are making emotionally charged Americana! Roswell Road’s music is harmony-rich, heartfelt, and fiercely DIY. Their project blends early Fleetwood Mac warmth with a feminist indie spirit. It’s a reminder that the most compelling music stories start small, with two people and a dream.
🪩 The Rain Dogs Album Fundraiser (Juneau, AK)
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Four friends from Alaska are bringing their chaotic, joy-filled brand of indie punk to life with their first full-length, SHAKE. The campaign’s tone is as fun and self-aware as their sound. They don’t take themselves too seriously, but they take their craft seriously. Exactly the kind of project that makes you want to root for the underdog.
💬 Final Thoughts
It’s intention that ties these projects together! Every one of them exists because someone refused to wait for permission to make art, archive history, or press record.
That’s the real beauty of Kickstarter: when creativity meets community, these stories don’t just get told— they get finished.