Student Blog: When Art Meets Impact

Why do we create art? This broad yet poignant question is always plaguing the minds of performing arts practitioners, especially in light of trying and divisive global events. For some, art serves as a pure creative outlet, but for me, it has become a means to bridge performance and philanthropy, creating a tangible impact beyond the arts sector.

Sitting in my dorm room almost three years ago in the second semester of my freshman year at the University of Michigan, I couldn’t help but feel like my potential as a producer would go untapped unless I made a leap and put my entrepreneurial spirit to the test. With no direct experience in grant writing, fundraising, or live event production, I went out on a limb and applied for a $1000 grant from the EXCEL Lab, the University of Michigan’s in-house entrepreneurship department for the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. After weeks of tweaking and editing my application materials, I finally hit “submit” on the ominous Google Form with the knowledge that my fate would be decided in the coming weeks. 

Weeks later, a yelp of excitement escaped my mouth when I received an email from the EXCEL Lab: my application was approved. Within the next few business days, I received $1000 to fund a project that had been brewing in my mind for months: The Perseverance Project, a musical theatre cabaret aimed at raising funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. As someone who had personally felt the impact of losing a loved one to blood cancer at a young age, I was determined to channel my passion for theatre into a force for good. I brought this project back home to Texas with me over the summer, producing a benefit concert that raised over $7500 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through ticket sales and donations. 

I stumbled through this process blindly, leaning heavily on my two semesters of higher education and intuition alone to produce what was ultimately a successful event. The conclusion of the Perseverance Project felt like a burst of light—not only had I completed my first independent producing venture, but I also experienced the overwhelming satisfaction of making a meaningful impact for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, both financially and through increased awareness. It wasn’t long before I realized that I wanted to bring a similar event to the Ann Arbor community, although I knew it would take robust planning and intricate scheduling to pull off this kind of live fundraiser in the midst of a school year. 

By senior year, I was ready to re-enter the benefit concert game: On November 13th, 2024, I had the absolute privilege of producing an Ann-Arbor-based benefit concert for NMDP, another non-profit organization focused on the treatment of patients with blood cancer and other blood diseases. This event, hosted at Kerrytown Concert House and supported by multiple arts grants from the University of Michigan, showcased an hour-long musical set performed by some of the most talented vocalists I’ve had the pleasure of learning and growing alongside during my college years. With a few added years of professional and educational experience, the NMDP Benefit Concert went off without a hitch, boasting over $6500 in ticket sales and donations. 

Producing these benefit concerts has not only been a personal and professional triumph for me but it’s brought me great joy to expand my love of medical philanthropy through the performing arts. Both of these events have empowered my artistic collaborators to donate their talents to the betterment of the world around us, which is a message and passion I’m hoping to spread throughout the span of my career. These experiences have shaped my vision for a professional lifespan that champions art’s ability to inspire, connect, and make a lasting impact.