If you are attending the Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well shows in either Santa Clara or Chicago, you can mail special edition postcards to family, friends, or even yourself. These artwork for these collectible items were created by renowned artists Mike DuBois, Jeff Trohldahl, and Una Toibin. Fan Jesse Muessen, whose beautifully decorated Fare Thee Well envelope was selected for a ticket design, also designed one of the postcards.
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Non-profit organization HeadCount spearheaded the idea as a way to spring fans into action. In order to receive a postcard, fans need to visit one of 17 non-profit organizations who have tables on Participation Row, and take a designated action, which include writing letters to elected officials, posting photos to social media, or signing up to be an organ donor. There is only 2,500 of each postcard available (total of 10,000), so this is a very limited edition collectible.
“We want to give Deadheads an easy way to be active citizens while at the shows,” said Andy Bernstein, executive director of HeadCount. “Beautiful, collectable art seemed like an appropriate reward for fans who have always had a strong connection to the artwork and causes that sprung up around the band.” For $1, HeadCount representatives will stamp and mail any postcard, creating a great way for fans to share the Fare Thee Well experience with friends who could not be there in person.
A full list of the 17 actions, with links to each organization, can be found at www.headcount.org/17Actions. HeadCount, a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding civic participation through the power of music, organized Participation Row and the giveaway.
The four postcards celebrate four different themes of Grateful Dead philanthropy – “Freedom,” “Compassion,” “Stewardship” and “Community.”
