News

Highlighted organizations from Josh’s ‘Straight to You’ tour

Jul 11 2011

Saturday, September 4th - Winnipeg, MB- MTS Centre

Josh and Find Your Light welcomed Graffiti Gallery!!! To find out more about Graffiti Gallery, please visit http://www.graffitigallery.ca/

Friday, September 2nd- Edmonton, AB – Rexall Place

Josh and Find Your Light welcomed iHuman Youth Society!!!! To find out more, please visit http://www.ihuman.org/

Thursday, September 1st -Calgary, AB- Scotiabank Saddledome

Josh and FInd Your Light welcomed Calgary Arts Academy!!!  To find out more about Calgary Arts Academy, please visit http://www.calgaryartsacademy.com/.

Tuesday, August 30th - Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena

Josh and Find Your Light welcomed Carousel Theatre Company!!!!  To find out more about Carousel Theatre Company, please visit http://www.carouseltheatre.ca/.

Saturday, August 27th- Seattle, WA – Key Arena

Josh and Find Your Light welcomed Arts Corps!!!!
To find out more, please visit www.artscorps.org
Other organizations in the Seattle area in need of support are:

Friday, August 26th -Portland, OR- Rose Garden Arena

Josh and FInd Your Light welcomed Caldera!!!  

To find out more about Caldera, please visit www.calderaarts.org/.

Other organziations in the Portland area in need of support are:

Tuesday, August 23rd - San Jose, CA – HP Pavilion

Josh and Find Your Light welcomed Youth Speaks!!!! 

To find out more about Youth Speaks, please visit http://www.youthspeaks.org/.

Saturday, August 20th -Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Arena

Josh and FInd Your Light welcomed Music For Hope!!!  They are green! They use everything. Music for Hope is always looking for volunteers to help teach these kids that cannot afford private lessons, as well as volunteers to help with refurbishment. To learn more about becoming involved or how to help, please visit Music for Hope at www.musicforhope.org.

Other organziations in the Las Vegas area in need of support are:

Rainbow Company Youth Theatre - http://www.artslasvegas.org/youth_theatre/rc_theatre.html

Friday, August 19th- Phoenix, AZ- U.S Airways Center

Wednesday, August 17th - Los Angeles, CA – Staples Center

Josh and Find Your Light welcomed Harmony Project!!!! 

To find out more about HARMONY PROJECT, please visit http://www.harmony-project.org/.

Other fantastic organizations and groups in the LA Area to check out are:

Saturday, August 13th - Salt Lake City, Utah – Energy Solutions Arena

Josh and Find Your Light welcomed Spy Hop Productions!!! Spy Hop Productions is a nonprofit youth media arts and educational enrichment center located in the historic Art Space district of downtown Salt Lake City. To find out more about Spy Hop Productions and how to get involved, please visit http://www.spyhop.org/.

Friday, August 12th - Denver, Colorado – Pepsi Center

Josh and FInd Your Light welcomed Rocky Mountain Children’s Choir!!! The Rocky Mountains Children’s Choir (RMCC) actively seeks children from diverse backgrounds and offers the opportunity to experience musical excellence in a multicultural environment. For more information on RMCC and how to get involved, please visit http://www.rmchildrenschoir.org/

Wednesday, August 10th- Des Moines, IOWA – Wells fargo Arena

Josh and Find Your Light welcomed Des Moines Symphony Academy!!! To find out more about Des Moines Symphony Academy, please visit http://www.dmsymphony.org/academy/.

Tuesday, August 9th - Milwaukee. – Bradley Center

Josh and Find Your Light welcomed Artists Working In Education!!!! Artists Working in Education, Inc. was founded in 1998 by a group of Milwaukee-area art educators, museum curators, and artists concerned about decreases in arts education.  To find out more about Artists Working in Education and how to get involved, please visit http://awe-inc.org/.

Check out the Current Wishlist for AWIE!!!  Can you help????

  • DONATED VANS!!
  • Two battery-operated CD players and batteries
  • Digital cameras and video cameras
  • Donated or discounted year-round storage for supplies
  • Acrylic, tempera and watercolor paints and brushes
  • Washable markers and oil pastels
  • Small bottles of glue and glue sticks
  • Feathers, beads, buttons, sequins, pipe cleaners, etc.
  • Gift cards for hardware or arts & crafts stores

Saturday, August 6th - Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena

Josh and FInd Your Light welcomed Girls Choral Academy!!! The GCA is a unique program of music for girls who love to sing and wish to grow not only musically, but personally, in self esteem, and in leadership skills as well.  To find out more about the Girls Choral Academy and how to help, please visit http://girlschoralacademy.org/.

Friday, August 5th- Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center

Josh and Find Your Light welcomed Transit Arts!!!  Currently, they are trying to raise funds to renovate a new home for their arts center. To learn more about TRANIT ARTS and how to become involved, please visit http://www.transitarts.com/.

Wednesday, August 3rd - Pittsburgh, PA. – Consol Energy Center

Josh and Find Your Light welcomed Children’s Festival Chorus!!!! To learn more about CFC and how to get involved or volunteer, please visit http://www.cfc-pgh.org/.

Saturday, July 30th - Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena

Josh and FInd Your Light welcomed Writer’s Block!!! The mission of The Writers Block, Ink is to arm young voices with the power of pen, poetry and prose, reinforcing teamwork, accountability, and responsibility – igniting social change on the page and the stage.  The Writers Block Ink was started in 2003 as a 501c3 non-profit organization to encourage youth to use writing and performance as tools to address personal and social challenges on the community stage. Students from The Block create original plays with a strong emphasis on spoken word poetry and have performed on stages across Southeastern Connecticut. Courses are structured to guide students to improve skills in the performing arts including writing, acting, singing and dance; as well as to build self-confidence, leadership, and teamwork. The students conceive of an idea, develop a plot, create characters and evaluate character conflict, then write a final script, cast themselves, market, and ultimately perform their work for the community. The Writers Block, Ink’s overall purpose is to empower youth to advance key skills through all aspects of the performing arts in order to enhance their lives, communities and the world. For more information go to www.writersblockink.org.

Friday, July 29th- Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center

Josh and Find Your Light welcomed Musicopia!!! Musicopia is a nonprofit organization that works with approximately 100 of our region’s professional musicians to present a wealth of music education programs. Musicopia is also the leading advocate for restoring and improving in-school music instruction throughout the Greater Philadelphia area.Founded in 1974 as “Strings for Schools,” the organization once focused primarily on classical string music. Now Musicopia provides assemblies, workshops and long-term residencies that span a huge range of musical traditions. Musicopia builds neighborhood vitality through music festivals and community concerts given jointly by students and professionals. These joyous events engage families in their children’s cultural development and celebrate the musical achievements of students at all levels. Through instrument donation drives and neighborhood-based student performing ensembles, Musicopia makes musical participation accessible to underserved students throughout the area. To learn more about Musicopia and how to get involved visit http://www.musicopia.net/.

In Philly, we also invited a group of 4th and 5th graders from local Hurffville Elementary School who entered the Philadelphia B101 radio contest by singing Josh’s song “Believe”. The students won $5000 for the school’s music program!!! Way to go!!

Wednesday, July 27th in Washington DC, Josh and Find Your Light welcomed two organizations - Sitar Arts Center AND Young Playwright’s Theatre Group!!!!

Sitar Arts Center provides after-school, weekend and summer classes in the visual arts, music, drama, dance, digital arts and creative writing to over 700 students a year. Through a compassionate community, opportunities for growth and skill-building, high expectations, caring adult mentors and helping students discover their inherent gifts, Sitar transforms the lives of the District’s children and youth. With 80% of its students coming from low-income households, Sitar Arts Center makes arts education affordable and accessible for students and families who otherwise would not have these opportunities. The Center is a vital safe-haven for its students during the high-risk afterschool, Saturday and summer hours in an area where youth in Washington, DC face many negative life choices and often unsafe streets. In addition to classes for school aged-children through adults in Arts Afterschool, the Center offers Early Childhood Arts, intensive programs for teens, the annual summer musical, Camp Sitar, the Instrumental Music Academy, and a Performance and Gallery Series, exposing our students and the greater community to a variety of artists and art forms at a professional level. In 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama presented Sitar Arts Center with the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award (formerly the Coming Up Taller Award) from the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, distinguishing Sitar as one of the premier afterschool arts and humanities organizations serving youth in the country.Making a high-quality arts education available to all students, Sitar Arts Center relies on charitable contributions to ensure that no family is everturned away because of inability to pay. To learn more about Sitar Center, visit http://www.sitarartscenter.org/.

 

Young Playwright’s Theatre group has been a driving force in arts education for sixteen years. Founded in 1995 by professional playwright Karen Zacarias, YPT teaches students throughout the DC metro area to express themselves clearly and creatively through the art of playwriting. Through interactive in-school and after-school programs, YPT activates student learning and inspires students to understand the power of language and realize their potential as both individuals and artists. By publicly presenting and discussing student-written work, YPT promotes community dialogue and respect for young artists. Each year, YPT helps more than 1,000 students discover the power of their own voices and stories, and, in turn, provides over 6,000 community audience members with a window into students’ lives, their dreams, their fears – and their hopes for the future. The results of YPT’s assessments are clear. Truancy rates drop. Homework completion soars. Students learn to express their thoughts, dreams and struggles through an interactive writing process. Through playwriting, YPT gives students a voice, inspires their creativity, sharpens critical thinking and teamwork skills, and offers a deep sense of accomplishment as students see their ideas turned into tangible products—plays that can be and are performed. Since 1995, YPT has served more than 75,000 students and community-members with its award-winning programs and performances. Recent high-profile commissions have come from the White House Historical Society, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Smithsonian Institution and the U.S. Holocaust Museum. On October 20, 2010, YPT received the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award from the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. The award was presented to YPT by First Lady Michelle Obama at a private White House ceremony, in honor of the marked difference YPT makes each year in the lives of students by improving academic scores and graduation rates, enhancing life skills and developing positive relationships with peers and adults. Visit www.yptdc.org to learn more, and watch an inspiring video about YPT’s work in the classroom here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lYO9NkJ7WY.

Tuesday, July 26th - Boston, MA – TD Garden

Josh and Find Your Light welcomed Raw Art Works!!!

At Raw Art Works, over 1,200 youth aged 6-19 attend RAW’s free programs each year. RAW offers visual arts groups, a film school, leadership development opportunities and teen employment. ThroughProject Launch, mentors from the community guide RAW’s high school juniors and seniors through the daunting college admissions and financial aid process. RAW recognizes the vital potential of each young artist and commit themselves daily to the mission to ignite the desire to create and the confidence to succeed.
Find out more about RAW and how to get involved by visiting http://www.rawart.org/.

Saturday, July 23rd - Montreal, QC – Bell Centre

Josh and FInd Your Light welcomes T3 Triple Threat Youth Mentors!!! T3 Triple Threat Youth Mentors is a new 501 c3 non profit arts and education organization that seeks to enrich the lives of youth in need through the arts. T3 consist of a group of professional teachers that volunteer to provides low cost instruction in dance, vocal training and acting to kids, teens and adults that might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in other costly performing arts programs in Montreal.

T3′s mission is to enrich the lives of youth in need through the arts. T3 seeks to inspire excellence, cultivate confidence, foster talent, empower, motivate and instill a life long appreciation for the arts. Whether you’re 5-105 a casual enthusiast or aspiring professional, all are welcome.
T3′s unique pay as you can/ suggested donation program allows students to pay at their own means and generosity. Student and private donations along with showcase performances have allowed us to keep our doors open for over five years in Montreal.
On any given day, casual enthusiasts and aspiring professionals may take a jazz, hip hop, or ballet dance class. Vocal coaching and acting are also offered with in intensive workshops, summer day camps and student showcase performances.
Because of the unwritten rule that says when you get to a certain point in the business you should help someone else along the way, T3 is in need of professional artist to help continue the work we are doing.
To learn more about T3 Triple Threat Youth Mentors visit www.ruatriplethreat.com


Friday, July 22nd - Ottawa, ON – Scotiabank Place

Josh and Find Your Light welcomes Leading Note Foundation Place – OrKidstra!!!

The OrKidstra Youth Music Program aims for musical excellence by playing and singing together – but it is first and foremost a social development program, giving children a sense of belonging and a sense of achievement, not to mention lots of fun! Created in 2007, OrKidstra is a barrier-free program that gives children age 5 and up the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, play in an orchestra and/or sing in a choir. Speaking 24 different languages, our OrKidstra students reflect the Canadian multicultural mosaic. OrKidstra has become far more than a music program – it is a way to empower children and build community through the universal language of music. 

Administered by The Leading Note Foundation, OrKidstra is funded – and entirely dependent – on grants and support from the community.

Find out more and how you can help at http://www.leadingnotefoundation.org/

Tuesday, July 19th - London, ON – John LaBatt Center

Josh and Find Your Light welcomes SKETCH!!!!

SKETCH creates opportunities for street involved and homeless people ages 15-29, to engage in the arts in a cross-discipline studio environment or in the community.

OFFERINGS INCLUDE:

• space for self-expression and skill-buildingthrough self-directed time in studio or instructional workshops
• art making out in the community
• exhibition and sale of artwork
• connections to mentorship and apprenticeships in the arts industry
• support for education or a career in the arts
• jobs for participating youth facilitating workshops and programs

SKETCH IS:

• space to explore and express opinions and ideas through art making
• a way to regain privacy or to feel some relieffrom the pressures of street life
• a place to play
• NOT just for youth who are or want to be artists
• a place of welcome!

Find out more and how you can help at http://www.sketch.ca/index.html

*****Unfortunately, the group from SKETCH was unable to attend the show due to transportation and scheduling conflicts, therefore we have no photo :( *****

Monday, July 18th - Toronto, ON- Air Canada Centre

Josh and Find Your Light welcomes Holland Bloorview!!!

At Holland Bloorview music has been a part of therapy for kids with disabilities for over 50 years.  Pioneering music therapist, Fran Herman, started the first group music therapy project in Canada at The Home for Incurable Children (Holland Bloorview’s earliest incarnation) in the 1950ies.Music is now well-integrated into Holland Bloorview’s Centre for the Arts programming: music therapy, music education, informal music experiences (spiral garden, music garden) and formal music participation (choir, band).  At Holland Bloorview, we have seen music benefit kids with disabilities in numerous ways:  stress/anxiety reduction; pain relief; improving physical strength/motor control; encouraging social interaction; boosting self-esteem, self-confidence, self-expression, creative exploration; increasing ability to pay attention and promoting learning.

Find out more about their cause at http://www.hollandbloorview.ca/

 

Saturday, Jul 16th - Auburn Hills, MI – Palace of Auburn Hills

Josh and Find Your Light brings you Mosaic Detroit!!!

Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit is an internationally acclaimed youth development program that concentrates on helping young artists excel on stage and in life. Mosaic’s mission is to empower young people to maximize their potential through professional performing arts training and the creation of first-rate theatrical and musical art.

Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, founded by Rick Sperling in 1992, was born out of a need to fill the gaps in arts education in metro Detroit schools while providing an artistic home for young actors, singers, and stage technicians. Serving only 25 young artists without any budget or home in its inaugural year, Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit is now recognized as a highly regarded cultural treasure for the city of Detroit and southeast Michigan. Mosaic’s national and international touring performances bring recognition to Detroit as a center for arts and culture and promote a positive image of metro Detroit area youth.

Find out more and how you can help by visiting http://www.mosaicdetroit.org/

Friday, July 15th - Cincinnati, OH – US Bank Arena

Josh and Find Your Light welcomes Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra!!!

The Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra (CSYO), under the direction of CSO Assistant Conductor Ken Lam, is made up of students in grades 9–12 who represent over 30 high schools in southwestern Ohio, southeastern Indiana, and northern Kentucky.

Founded in 1964 by former CSO Music Director Max Rudolf and area music educators, the CSYO is dedicated to the cultivation of talent and provides outstanding young instrumentalists the opportunity to perform repertoire not normally available through their school music programs.

Find out more and how you can get involved at http://www.cincinnatisymphony.org/content.php?id=23

Wednesday, July 13th - Chicago, IL – United Center

Josh and Find Your Light welcomes Albany Park Theatre Project!!!!

APTP’s teen ensemble has created more than 50 world-premiere original plays and performed for 30,000 audience members. Teens create plays based on real-life stories, gathered by the teen ensemble, from people whose stories might otherwise go untold: urban youth, immigrants, and working-class Americans. In addition to performances at the Laura Wiley Theater in Albany Park, the teen ensemble has performed to sold-out audiences at prestigious venues such as the Goodman Theatre, Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Chicago Humanities Festival.

Find out more and how you can help at http://www.aptpchicago.org/

Tuesday, July 12th - Indianapolis, IN - Conseco Fieldhouse

Josh and Find Your Light welcomes Indianapolis Children’s Choir!!!

The Indianapolis Children’s Choir was founded in 1986 by artistic director Henry Leck, and has grown to one of the largest children’s choirs in the world.  It serves nearly 2500 children toddler age through high school.  There are 16 performing choirs, many of which rehearse at the ICC offices located on the campus of Butler University.

The mission of providing quality music education at the highest level of artistic excellence is evident in the ICC’s own concert series, regular appearances at civic events, artistic collaborations, world premieres, and a history of touring that has taken the choir around the country and around the world, performing on six continents.

Find out more about their cause at http://www.icchoir.org

Opera for the Young, Madison: Saturday, July 9th, Green Bay Resch Center

http://operafortheyoung.org/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Opera-for-the-Young

Founded in 1970, Opera for the Young’s mission is to ignite enthusiasm for opera.In pursuit of that mission, OFY COLLABORATE, EDUCATE and CREATE. The multifaceted world of opera provides a dynamic vehicle for growth within each child and their school community. OFY involves students in all aspects of the show – from design to performance. In this engaging manner, Opera for the Young is unlike any program in the nation.

Josh meets with kids and staff from Opera for the Young before his show in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Saturday, July 9th!

Free Arts Minnesota: Friday, July 8th, Target Center

http://www.freeartsminnesota.org/

http://www.facebook.com/freeartsminnesota

Free Arts programs seek to interrupt the cycle of violence. Through painting, drawing, music, writing, drama and other creative outlets, the program serves as a catalyst to help children communicate and express themselves in new and positive ways.

Josh meets with the fantastic staff, volunteers and students of Free Arts Minnesota. So great to kick off the tour and this program with you all!! Keep up the hard work!

Organizations to highlight this week…will resume after European leg!!

Jul 11 2011

Josh will currently be on tour in Europe through mid-October and we CANNOT wait to resume this program once he returns to the States in a few weeks…..

Stay tuned for more info.

THANK YOU for all your support the past few months as we got the program off the ground.

We look forward to continuing to reach children and organizations throughout the country and beyond.

Fondly,

Josh and team

Josh Groban Launches Find Your Light Foundation to Champion Arts Education

Jul 06 2011

Groban to Partner with Americans for the Arts to Launch Joint Campaign to Raise Support for Arts Education

Renowned singer-songwriter Josh Groban today announced the creation of his new Find Your Light Foundation. Dedicated to enriching the lives of young people through arts, education and cultural awareness, the foundation is launching its first partnership with Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education. Through this partnership, Find Your Light and Americans for the Arts will be working together to help ensure that every child has the opportunity to experience a quality arts education.

“I believe that exposure to the arts in children’s and young adult’s lives helps shape and change them for the better. I can speak from personal experience, and when I look around and recognize the sobering reality that these are the exact programs that are being cut from our schools and disappearing from our communities at a drastic rate, I am more determined than ever to drive my philanthropic efforts in this direction,” says Groban. “I am honored and privileged to be able to give back in this way, and I look forward to the journey ahead as we work to help give so many the chance to find their light.”

The Find Your Light Foundation developed out of Groban’s desire to streamline the charitable ventures of The Josh Groban Foundation. Instead of operating as an umbrella organization supporting a vast array of causes, the new foundation will focus entirely on supporting arts education efforts, providing instruments and funding for arts programs in schools and introducing children to the arts and culture around them and even around the world through the use of technology.

“For the past seven years, the Josh Groban Foundation has been a wonderful project for me, but the broad reach with which our arms have needed to extend to fulfill the numerous organizations that the  foundation has supported have not always been in sync with our means,” says Groban. “So now the time has come for me to focus my charity into a world that I feel personally connected to, and can best help.”