Compassionart

Compassionart is a charity based in Littlehampton, England created by songwriter Martin Smith and with the aim of generating income from works of art to assist in the relief of suffering around the planet [http://www.compassionart.co.uk/vision/ Compassionart Vision] ] .

Retreat in Scotland

The songwriters at the recent retreat 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 Garrard (Delirious?), Tim Hughes, Graham Kendrick, Andy Park,Darlene Zschech, Israel Houghton, Paul Baloche, Steven Curtis Chapman,Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman Christian Music Planet, [http://www.christianmusicplanet.com/news/headlines/11574481/archive8/ Compassionart Songwriters premiere "So Great" on GMA Dove Awards] ] .

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/project genius
*Matt Redman - Worship Leader and Author
*Richard Hubbard - CEO of Links International Charity and one of the Arun Community Church leaders
*Bill Hearn - CEO of EMI/CMG
*Brett Farrell - Law and Order
*Dave Meyer - CEO of world missions for JMM ministries .

The recording

Following the retreat, Compassionart songwriters began recording the songs in February at the famous Abbey Road Studios 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 guiding the tracks at the production helm and AndyHunt engineering. With 14 songs now recorded, future recording sessions with the songwriters are being planned.

In addition to the songwriters, the publishers, managers, copyright institutes and agents involved have all waived their rights and are donating 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, and other publications internationally.

Awards

Compassionart became the recipient of the inaugural “Gospel Angel Award” presented by the Gospel Music Channel during the network's telecast of the Dove Awards. GMC created the special award to honor Christian/Gospel artists for helping those in need .

Uganda, May 2008

Martin Smith and his family went to Uganda to visit a small region called Kampala, to visit Watoto it is a holistic approach to the care of children, most are orphaned and some started life rescued from rubbish bins at the side of the road.

References

External links

* [http://www.compassionart.co.uk Compassionart official web site]
* [http://www.doveawards.com Dove Awards Site]
* [http://www.watoto.com Watoto web page in Uganda]