Help Gaelynn Lea Tour in Europe!

Hello, Friends!

My name is Gaelynn Lea and I am a musician and public speaker from Duluth, MN. I also happen to have a physical disability called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or Brittle Bones Disease. Due to numerous fractures in utero, I have bent arms and legs, which cause me to have a shortened stature. I have never walked, but I started using an electric wheelchair when I was two and a half years old.  

I have been playing violin for over 20 years, in large part thanks to a creative music teacher who helped me to adapt my style of playing. I hold my violin upright in my wheelchair like a tiny cello instead of on my shoulder. In 2006 I joined my first band, in 2011 I wrote my first original song, and in March of 2016 I won NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest.  

(Video of my Tiny Desk Concert)

Now I am a full-time touring musician with the help of my husband Paul, who travels with me. Winning the Tiny Desk Contest opened up a whole new world of opportunities for me and I am so grateful for the adventures Paul and I have had so far this year!

(Pictures of Paul and me)

A Wonderful Adventure Awaits this December! 

But it turns out this year's adventures aren't quite done yet! Earlier this fall I got an offer to perform in Prague as a guest artist with the band "The Tap Tap " for their Christmas concert on December 6th - some of the artists in this group also have disabilities and they do a lot of performing and advocacy in the Czech Republic. They said they could provide airfare for both of us and hotels for two nights, so my husband Paul and I gladly accepted the offer! But it doesn't end there...

(Picture of The Tap Tap)

Aside from performing solo sets, I also play in a band called The Murder of Crows with Alan Sparhawk of Low.  It just so happens that Low will be doing a Christmas tour in Europe around the Prague show is happening. When Alan found out that Paul and I were headed to Prague, he made the very generous offer to have me open  for Low at three of their shows - Belfast, UK on December 12th, Dublin, Ireland on December 13th, and Kilkenny, Ireland on December 14th! This was also very exciting turn of events and Paul and I once again accepted the offer.
 
(Picture of Low's Christmas Tour Poster)

After it became clear that this Europe trip was for sure happening, I worked on adding at least one more show for good measure - so I will also be playing at The Windmill Brixton  in London, England on December 7th!

(Picture of The Windmill, Brixton)

These were all very exciting developments indeed... I have never been overseas and the idea of traveling with my music is literally a dream come true! I immediately began to prepare for the trip... We got our passports and scheduled the airline tickets and began to research transportation options once in Europe.

(Picture of my new passport!)

Overcoming Travel Barriers

But as we began to make our travel plans, I realized that it wasn't going to be possible to travel with my electric wheelchair due to the age and inaccessibility of the buildings and infrastructure in Europe. This meant that we would need to find another travel companion to go with Paul and me in order to make the logistics feasible.

I am unable to push a manual wheelchair, so I need a lot more help with mobility when that's my only mode of transportation. Having traveled this way before, we knew that Paul would not be able to carry all our luggage, my instrument, and handle my wheelchair simultaneously. It would be too dangerous.

So in order to make this trip as safe and efficient as possible, we decided to ask our friend Leah Nelson to go on  this trip with us. She is a very special friend to me - we go back 10 years now! She is not only the person who suggested that I start teaching fiddle lessons, but she also is the woman who filmed my Tiny Desk Contest submission video... So on a personal note, it means a lot to me to have her join us on this adventure.  

(Pictures of Leah and me)

However, once we asked Leah to come with us, the financial reality of this trip began to set in... Although this is truly the opportunity of a lifetime, we won't be earning nearly enough to cover all the expenses. We are committed to making it work either way, but it would mean a lot for us not to go into debt or drain our savings in December - I am a full-time independent musician after all! Finances are tight and paychecks are never guaranteed.

That is why I am asking YOU, the people who support my music and my mission, to help make this trip a reality for us.  If you could donate to our upcoming tour in Europe, we would be so grateful! We have pretty accurate estimate of $5,000 for all expenses.

I am incredibly excited about the adventures that await us overseas, but the reality is that none of this would be doable without support. As an artist with a disability I can travel, but the assistance of others is absolutely necessary. This need for extra assistance can pose some additional barriers, but so far we've always figured out a way to make it work... I am confident this European tour will be no exception! 

(Picture of me performing in Oakland, California)

So, how much money do we need to raise?

First, here's what is already covered: 

* 2 round-trip tickets for me & Paul from MN to Prague
* 2 nights of hotel in Prague - December 5 & 6
* 3 nights of hotel in Ireland & UK - December 12-14

Here's what we still need to cover:

* 1 ticket for Leah from Prague to Minneapolis: $1,250
* 3 tickets from Prague to London: $250 
* 2 nights of hotel in London (December 7 & 8): $400
* 3 tickets from London to Dublin (December 9): $400
* 3 nights of hotel in Dublin (December 9-11th): $600
* 3 tickets to Prague from Dublin (December 15): $300
* Transportation in UK & Ireland: $400
* 2 nights of hotel in Prague (December 15 & 16): $400
* Food for 3 people 13 days: $1,000 

GOAL FOR THE EUROPEAN TOUR: $5,000 

Even if we don't meet our goal, any amount raised will help take off the financial pressure for us. We truly appreciate any support you can provide for this special Christmas tour.  

If for some reason we exceed our goal, I will save the extra funds for the production costs of my next full-length album, which I am hoping to record in the Fall and Winter of 2017.

Why this trip matters to me.

I think it's important for the world to see artists with disabilities succeeding in their chosen fields. Sometimes this requires additional planning or support, but I believe these obstacles don't have to stop us.

I am grateful for the opportunity to spread the word about disability awareness and inclusion wherever I speak or perform... This trip will be another chance to do just that. 

(Picture of me performing at a graduation ceremony)

Want to learn more about my work?

I love to perform music and speak about disability awareness... Check out the videos below to watch me in action:

(Video of one of my Disability Awarness speeches)

I believe that music has the ability to unite us and to remind us of the beauty in the world... I am grateful for the opportunity to bring my music to other countries and to promote the concepts of equality and creative expression for all.

(Video of a singalong at my performance in NYC)

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!