The CreatiVrole Project — A Separate 501(c)(3) Nonprofit
After years of running tours across Cuba, one thing has remained consistent. The level of musicianship is high. The training is serious, and the standards are clear, whether you are in Havana, Matanzas, or Santiago. At the same time, daily life has become more difficult in ways that go beyond music. You see it in small details. Musicians are managing rehearsals around power outages. Families are dealing with shortages of basic goods. Studios, homes, and teaching spaces all operating under the same broader constraints.
The CreatiVrole Project grew from repeated exposure to that reality.
Why It Exists
What started as a response to gaps in musical resources quickly expanded.
Yes, there is still a clear need for things like instrument parts, recording equipment, and basic tools. That hasn’t changed. But over the past few years, the situation in Cuba has made it clear that the challenges are not limited to music.
We’ve seen musicians and their families dealing with shortages of food, toiletries, cooking supplies, and reliable access to electricity. In some cases, these issues directly affect their ability to work, teach, and maintain any kind of consistent routine.
In the past, we would try to help informally. Guests would bring items, we would coordinate deliveries when possible, and things would get where they needed to go. The CreatiVrole Project was created to make that process more structured, more consistent, and based on direct communication with the people we work with.
How It Relates to Travel
Havana Music Tours is a travel company. The focus remains on well-organized, music-centered experiences structured around the applicable travel requirements. The CreatiVrole Project does not change that.
Havana Music Tours contributes 5% of tour revenue to The CreatiVrole Project, a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit, to support community and cultural initiatives in Cuba. This contribution is made by Havana Music Tours; travelers are not required to participate in or make a separate donation to the project.
Guests who want to give beyond the included 5% may make an optional direct donation to The CreatiVrole Project. Direct charitable gifts may be tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law; donors should retain their receipt and consult their tax adviser for individual guidance. Donate directly to The CreatiVrole Project.
What it does is operate alongside the relationships that have been built over time. The musicians, educators, and families that guests meet are part of an ongoing network that we stay connected to throughout the year.
The CreatiVrole Project provides a way to support that network in a practical and organized way, without changing the travel experience itself
What It Looks Like in Practice
The work is practical and based on specific needs. Everything is intentional. If something is brought or sent, it is because it has been requested or clearly identified as useful.
There is no bulk distribution and no general supply model. The focus is on making sure what arrives is actually needed and will be used.
Delivering food, toiletries, and basic household supplies to individuals and families we work with
Where It Fits
The CreatiVrole Project sits alongside Havana Music Tours, but it operates as a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It is not part of the travel product, and it is not used to reframe the tours. This is an extension of long-term relationships with musicians, educators, and families that we continue to work with year after year.
For musicians, schools, and returning guests who want to stay connected in a more direct way, it provides a clear option. For others, it remains separate from the travel experience.
