PAST ARTISTS HAVE INCLUDED…
- Jason Mraz
- k.d. lang
- Paul Williams
- Rob Thomas
- Colbie Caillat
- Sara Bareilles
- Ben Lee
- Justin Willman
- Chris Caswell
- Rayvon Owen
- René Marie
- Christina Perri
- Raining Jane
- Robbie Schaefer
- Richard Jenkins
- And many more...
“I’ve performed on a thousand stages and shared dressing rooms and curtain calls with legendary ensembles and superstars alike. But nowhere have I received the kind of grace and elation I did onstage with the actors, dancers, and musicians of LIVE ART. During two of the numbers I thought to myself, honored, This is exactly why I wrote these songs.“
Jason Mraz
LIVE ART Artistic Advisor, 2012-2017
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and SPARC alum
“As an outsider and just coming in, not knowing the language, but seeing the results is just amazing… seeing the elimination of categorization and walls and borders and the realization that we are all equal. That is just incredible and it is happening here.”
k.d. lang
LIVE ART Guest Artist, 2013
Juno- and Grammy-Award Winning Singer-Songwriter
“The weekend I spent as part of the remarkable celebration that is Live Art felt like total immersion in pure love. You could easily call it “love art”. It was a 48 hour exhibition on the elegance of kindness. Jason Mraz was right when he said it would be an experience I’d never forget. I took away so much more than I gave … It was as if I’d come home to the birthplace of the Rainbow Connection”
Paul Williams
LIVE ART Guest Artist, 2017
Oscar Award winner, multiple Grammy Award and Golden Globe Award winner
Rob Thomas
LIVE ART Guest Artist, 2017
Grammy Award winner
“Every single person working the event, performing in the show, and involved with SPARC and Live Art Dream were absolutely wonderful! An experience I’ll always remember and adore. Thank you all for what you do for the children who are embraced as they are, for the participants who get reminded that music is an art form that should always be fun, and for the sweet audience getting to enjoy the show while supporting such a great cause.”
Colbie Caillat
LIVE ART Guest Artist, 2017
![095 Live Art Concert 06-07-15 [Tom Topinka]](https://www.sparcrichmond.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/095-Live-Art-Concert-06-07-15-Tom-Topinka-1024x656.jpg)
“Participating in Live Art was one of the performance highlights of my career so far. Within this sacred creative space, we were all equals – the kids, performers and teachers. We were all communing with the spirit of creativity, in awe of the mystery that music and performance can inspire within us!”
Ben Lee
LIVE ART Guest Artist, 2017
Justin Willman
LIVE ART Guest Artist, 2017
Magician & Comedian
Chris Caswell
LIVE ART Guest Artist, 2017
Grammy Award winner
Rayvon Owen
LIVE ART Guest Artist, 2017
Finalist in Season 14 of American Idol
René Marie
LIVE ART Guest Artist, 2013, 2015
Songwriter and jazz volcalist
“I think I must have hugged all 200 kids. I can’t even explain what that feels like. It’s just this love that kept generating throughout the whole building. …Its 9 pm , the show just finished, I just got off stage and I am feeling so overwhelmed I can hardly put it into words. That was by far my number one favorite thing I have ever been a part of in my career.”
Christina Perri
LIVE ART Guest Artist, 2013
Nationally recognized singer-songwriter
![079 Live Art Concert 06-07-15 [Tom Topinka]](https://www.sparcrichmond.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/079-Live-Art-Concert-06-07-15-Tom-Topinka-1024x661.jpg)
“LIVE ART is a great reminder that there are good people in the world doing good work. And that people show up for that. When people are contributing to their community, the community will show up. And that means so much. Then as a second year participant I was like how can I contribute more, collaborate more, hug more people in two days?”
Mona Tavakoli
LIVE ART Guest Artists, 2013, 2015
Percussionist and singer with Raining Jane
“This was the most profound live performance and creative expression that I have witnessed in a long time… maybe ever. What SPARC seems to have done is to galvanize a community. They are in a partnership with the people of Richmond, saying we are going to lift these kids up through the arts. This is filling the cracks in my heart. We (the artists) are the lucky ones.”
Robbie Schaefer
LIVE ART Guest Artist, 2015, 2016
Singer-songwriter and founder of One Voice Community
“I sat there yesterday, it was incredible to watch. I don’t think I’ve ever been surrounded by such joy. You kind of think you’re never going to be in the middle of something like this… until you are!”
Richard Jenkins
LIVE ART Guest Artist, 2013
Academy Award-Nominated actor
… including
Keb’ Mo’
Chris Stills
Phil Wiggins
Steve Bassett
Susan Greenbaum
Robbin Thompson
Jesse Harper
Desiree Roots
Daniel Clarke
Zak Resnick
Drew Kullman
Josh Small
Samson Trinh and the Upper East Side Big Band
Keb’ Mo’
Chris Stills
Phil Wiggins
Steve Bassett
Susan Greenbaum
Robbin Thompson
Jesse Harper
Desiree Roots
Daniel Clarke
Zak Resnick
Drew Kullman
Josh Small
Samson Trinh and the Upper East Side Big Band
AUDIENCE COMMENTS
“This was joyful, intriguing, high quality art that fed my heart and soul. My deep thanks to all of you who had the vision and ability to craft this gift to our community!”
“The LIVE ART experience was the best concert experience I have ever had in my life – bar none.”
“The magic created by seeing children of all abilities perform with the professional artists, and the impact the relationship had on the performances, was infectious. You could FEEL the professionals exerting their energy in support of the students.”
“I brought my Mom to the show. She was visiting from Ohio. She just turned 80 last week and she said it was the best show she has ever seen!”
“My family cannot stop thinking about the show. It was the most special thing that we can remember ever seeing or doing together. It was life-changing.”