Josh Groban Launches Find Your Light Foundation to Champion Arts Education

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 adults' lives help 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."

Partnership with Americans for the Arts

Groban is partnering with Americans for the Arts to launch a joint text-to-give campaign, which will run for the duration of his Straight to You tour in 2011. Proceeds from the campaign will go to support both The Find Your Light Foundation and Americans for the Arts as they work to ensure every child and young adult in America has access to quality arts education experiences. Text ART to 5055 to make a $10 donation to support the cause.

"I am thrilled to partner with Josh and his Find Your Light Foundation," says Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. "As a member of our Artists Committee, Josh has been a tireless supporter of arts education and a great friend to Americans for the Arts. With this new partnership and campaign, we will be expanding our work together to fight to ensure that all children receive the quality arts education they deserve."

"I am thankful to have such a strong partner in Americans for the Arts," says Groban. "For more than 50 years, they have been on the front lines, championing the cause of arts education, and I am proud to stand alongside them in this work."

Local Nonprofit Recognition

As part of the text-to-give campaign, Groban is inviting the head of an arts education nonprofit; the artists, students and/or teachers who provide services for the nonprofit; and the children and young adults who receive services from the nonprofit to attend his concert and be recognized from the stage. They will also have the opportunity to meet Groban prior to the performance. In addition, the new Find Your Light Foundation will make a cash donation to the chosen nonprofit. Groban will start this element of the campaign in Minneapolis, where he will shine the spotlight on Free Arts Minnesota, an organization dedicated to bringing the healing powers of artistic expression into the lives of abused, neglected and at-risk children and their families.

To find out more about the Find Your Light Foundation, please visit the organization's website at http://www.findyourlightfoundation.org and/or its Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/findyourlightfoundation.

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 50 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.

 

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