Compassionart
Encyclopedia
CompassionArt is a charity
based in Littlehampton
, England
founded by songwriter Martin Smith
and his wife Anna, with the aim of generating income from works of art to assist in the relief of suffering around the planet
.
, Scotland, set out to write 10-12 songs and, by the end of the retreat, had completed 22 new songs. In addition to those on the GMA Dove Awards, CompassionArt songwriters include Stu G
arrard (of Delirious?
), Tim Hughes
, Graham Kendrick
, Andy Park
, Darlene Zschech
, Israel Houghton
, Paul Baloche
, Steven Curtis Chapman
, Chris Tomlin
and Matt Redman
. Together the songwriters account for at least 42 million albums sold, 82 No. 1 songs, 10 Grammy Awards, 118 Dove Awards, two Stellar Awards, two American Music Awards, and 98 current CCLI Top 500 songs.
in London
. Joining the songwriters were musicians Dan Needham, Tommy Sims
and Akil Thompson, and engineering were Josiah Bell, Danny Duncan and Sam Gibson. The songwriters continued to record songs in March at Pentavarit Studio in Nashville
, joined by guest vocalists Amy Grant
, tobyMac
and Leeland Mooring, and with Matt Bronleewe
and Paul Moak
producing and Andy Hunt engineering. With 14 songs now recorded, future recording sessions with the songwriters are planned.
In addition to the songwriters, the publishers, managers, copyright institutes and agents involved all waived their rights and donated their efforts on this project to CompassionArt. The songs are to be given through CompassionArt to help to raise money for the relief of suffering around the planet. One half of the monies received over the songs' lifetimes will go to the songwriters' charities of choice, and the other 50% will go to a charitable project agreed upon by all the songwriters involved.
News about CompassionArt was carried by the Associated Press
, Chicago Tribune
, Washington Post, Houston Chronicle
, MTV
, MSN
, Canadian Press
, ChristianMusicToday.com, Worship Musician, the front page of Amazon.com
, and other publications internationally.
The album CompassionArt
was released internationally in November 2008.
during the network's telecast of the Dove Awards. GMC created the special award to honor Christian/Gospel artists for helping those in need.
, looking at a holistic approach to the care of children. Most of the children they met are orphaned, and some started life rescued from rubbish bins at the side of the road. Smith said in 2009 that the project's success would not be measured in record sales but in lives changed on the ground, with clean water, enough food in a sustainable community and essential medicines.
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
based in Littlehampton
Littlehampton
Littlehampton is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, on the east bank at the mouth of the River Arun. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton and east of the county town of Chichester....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
founded by songwriter Martin Smith
Martin Smith (songwriter)
Martin James Smith is an English vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. He was the front man of the Christian rock and worship band Delirious? He co-wrote three songs on Michael W. Smith's 2004 album Healing Rain and is going to be collaborating with Michael W. Smith on his upcoming album...
and his wife Anna, with the aim of generating income from works of art to assist in the relief of suffering around the planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
.
Retreat in Scotland
Several songwriters met for a retreat in PerthshirePerthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
, Scotland, set out to write 10-12 songs and, by the end of the retreat, had completed 22 new songs. In addition to those on the GMA Dove Awards, CompassionArt songwriters include Stu G
Stu G
, better known by the stage name Stu G, is an English vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. He served as the lead guitarist, backing vocalist, and secondary songwriter for the rock band Delirious? from 1994 until 2009. His song writing credits for the band include "Come Like You Promise",...
arrard (of Delirious?
Delirious?
Delirious? were an English Christian rock and worship band. For the majority of their career, the lineup featured Martin Smith on vocals and guitar, Stu G on guitar and backing vocals, Jon Thatcher on bass guitar, Tim Jupp on keys and piano, and Stew Smith on drums and percussion...
), Tim Hughes
Tim Hughes
Tim Hughes is a British worship leader and singer-songwriter. He is currently Director of Worship at Holy Trinity Brompton, an Anglican church in central London, and heads up Worship Central, an international worship training and resource centre.- Personal life :Hughes is the son of an Anglican...
, Graham Kendrick
Graham Kendrick
Graham Kendrick is a prolific British Christian singer-songwriter and worship leader. He is the son of a Baptist pastor. He now lives in Croydon and is a former member of Ichthus Christian Fellowship...
, Andy Park
Andy Park
Andy Park is an American comic book artist, illustrator, and concept artist.-Biography:Park has illustrated several comic book series including Tomb Raider , published by Top Cow Productions, Alias: Agent Bristow based on the Emmy award winning television series, and Uncanny X-Men...
, Darlene Zschech
Darlene Zschech
Darlene Joyce Zschech is an Australian Pentecostal worship leader and singer-songwriter who primarily writes praise and worship songs. She is the former worship pastor of Hillsong Church and is currently a member of Compassionart, a charity founded by Martin Smith.-Biography:As a young adult...
, Israel Houghton
Israel Houghton
-Other recordings :* "Champions for Christ" - Hi5 * "Where Are the Fathers?" from He-Motions * "Send Me to the Nations" from A Wing & A Prayer...
, Paul Baloche
Paul Baloche
Paul Baloche is an American Christian music artist, worship leader, and singer-songwriter. A native of Maple Shade, New Jersey, Baloche is currently the worship pastor at Community Christian Fellowship in Lindale, Texas. Baloche composes on piano and acoustic guitar, favoring guitar when leading...
, Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, actor, author, and social activist.After starting his career in the late 1980s as a singer/songwriter of contemporary Christian music, Chapman has since been recognized as one of the most prolific singers in the genre,...
, Chris Tomlin
Chris Tomlin
Christopher Dwayne "Chris" Tomlin is an American Christian Contemporary Music artist, worship leader, and songwriter from Grand Saline, Texas, United States. He is a former staff member at Austin Stone Community Church and is signed to EMI's sixstepsrecords. Tomlin also leads worship at many...
and Matt Redman
Matt Redman
Matt Redman is an English Christian worship leader, songwriter and author based in Brighton.He has worked with Newfrontiers, Passion Conferences, Hillsong London, Soul Survivor, is an artist for Sixstepsrecords and is a member of Compassionart a charity founded by Martin Smith.He appeared with...
. Together the songwriters account for at least 42 million albums sold, 82 No. 1 songs, 10 Grammy Awards, 118 Dove Awards, two Stellar Awards, two American Music Awards, and 98 current CCLI Top 500 songs.
Board of trustees
- Mark Zschech - Charity expert
- Matt Redman - Worship leader and author
- Richard Hubbard - CEO of Links International charity and one of the leaders of Arun Community Church
- Bill Hearn - CEO of EMI Christian Music GroupEMI Christian Music GroupEMI Christian Music Group is a subsidiary of EMI which contains its Christian music record labels, and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee...
- Brett Farrell - Law and Order - Lawyer
- Dave Meyer - CEO of world missions for Joyce MeyerJoyce MeyerJoyce Meyer is a Charismatic Christian author and speaker. Meyer and her husband Dave have four grown children, and live outside St. Louis, Missouri. Her ministry is headquartered in the St. Louis suburb of Fenton, Missouri.-Early life:Meyer was born Pauline Joyce Hutchison in south St. Louis in...
ministries
The recording
Following the retreat, CompassionArt songwriters began recording the songs in February at the famous Abbey Road StudiosAbbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Joining the songwriters were musicians Dan Needham, Tommy Sims
Tommy Sims
Tommy Sims is a renowned bassist, songwriter, record producer and bandleader.-Music career:From 1987 to 1989 he was the bassist of the popular Christian rock band White Heart which he left to become a studio musician and producer. During 1992-1993, he played bass on the Bruce Springsteen and the...
and Akil Thompson, and engineering were Josiah Bell, Danny Duncan and Sam Gibson. The songwriters continued to record songs in March at Pentavarit Studio in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, joined by guest vocalists Amy Grant
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
, tobyMac
TobyMac
Toby McKeehan , better known by his stage name TobyMac , is a Christian recording artist, music producer, hip-hop/pop artist, singer-songwriter, and author....
and Leeland Mooring, and with Matt Bronleewe
Matt Bronleewe
-Biography:Matt Bronleewe was born in Dallas, Texas, but as a young boy moved to central Kansas, Lorraine, with his family so his father could take on the family farm...
and Paul Moak
Paul Moak
Paul Moak is an American producer, engineer, mixer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist currently residing in Nashville, TN.-Biography:Paul Greer Moak, III was born in Jackson, MS on July 8, 1979...
producing and Andy Hunt engineering. With 14 songs now recorded, future recording sessions with the songwriters are planned.
In addition to the songwriters, the publishers, managers, copyright institutes and agents involved all waived their rights and donated their efforts on this project to CompassionArt. The songs are to be given through CompassionArt to help to raise money for the relief of suffering around the planet. One half of the monies received over the songs' lifetimes will go to the songwriters' charities of choice, and the other 50% will go to a charitable project agreed upon by all the songwriters involved.
News about CompassionArt was carried by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, Washington Post, Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
, MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, MSN
MSN
MSN is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its...
, Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Canadian Press Enterprises Inc. is the entity which "will take over the operations of the Canadian Press" according to a November 26, 2010 article in the Toronto Star...
, ChristianMusicToday.com, Worship Musician, the front page of Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
, and other publications internationally.
The album CompassionArt
CompassionArt (album)
CompassionArt is a studio album by the songwriters' charity of the same name. It features the entire CompassionArt song writing team, Paul Baloche, Chris Tomlin, Tim Hughes, Matt Redman, Darlene Zschech, Israel Houghton, Michael W. Smith, Graham Kendrick, Andy Park, Steven Curtis Chapman, Stu...
was released internationally in November 2008.
Awards
CompassionArt became the recipient of the inaugural “Gospel Angel Award” presented by the Gospel Music ChannelGospel Music Channel
gmc is an American satellite and cable television channel, known from its 2004 launch until February 1, 2010 as Gospel Music Channel. It is also available in high-definition as a separate channel called gmcHD ....
during the network's telecast of the Dove Awards. GMC created the special award to honor Christian/Gospel artists for helping those in need.
Aims
Martin and Anna Smith had previously visited India where they were so moved by the poverty that they unsuccessfully tried to bring one girl, Farin, to England. The CompassionArt album was dedicated to Farin. Martin Smith and his family went to Uganda in May 2008 to visit some of the Watoto villages outside the capital KampalaKampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
, looking at a holistic approach to the care of children. Most of the children they met are orphaned, and some started life rescued from rubbish bins at the side of the road. Smith said in 2009 that the project's success would not be measured in record sales but in lives changed on the ground, with clean water, enough food in a sustainable community and essential medicines.