Artists Entertain Compassion
While rock stars raising money for charity is surprisingly trendy at the moment, a slew of Christian musicians are reinventing the way art and compassion collide.
Martin Smith, lead vocalist for rock/worship act Delirious (which recently announced its retirement from recording) and his wife, Anna, were inspired after they started visiting Rwanda, Mumbai and Cambodia, beautiful places ransacked by disease, poverty and little in the way of hope for the future. The Smiths call their inspiration Compassionart.
Logistically Speaking
For the better part of 18 months, the Smiths worked on setting up the infrastructure of their global charity. Their idea was to persuade some of the Christian music industry’s biggest artists to gather in one place and write songs together during a week’s time. One hundred percent of the royalties generated would go to the charities of their collective choosing.
Of course, there were endless details and red tape to work through to get Compassionart up and running, but Martin was more than up for the challenge.
“It was a truly pinch-myself moment when everyone from Michael W. Smith to Steven Curtis Chapman to Israel Houghton agreed to be a part of the effort,” Martin said. “I think what’s exciting is that when you’ve got something where no one can personally benefit from it financially, there’s such a free spirit; and it does change everything. I think, ‘How good is that for our industry?’ Really, it’s just great.”
In addition to these artists, Darlene Zschech, Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, Graham Kendrick, Paul Baloche, Andy Park and Martin’s Delirious bandmate Stu G committed to participate in the first Compassionart retreat held at the House of Cantle in Perthshire, Scotland, last January.
Behind the Scenes
After getting reacquainted and settling in, the artists were paired off and went to work on a slew of new worship songs. While they weren’t sure how it would all work, the ideas ended up flowing fast and furious.
“I think we probably all came in feeling a little insecure, wondering if we each were bringing enough ideas really to contribute,” Chapman said. “The idea was to come with ideas so we really could hit the ground running. Immediately there was a sense of community and purpose that ultimately took over. This lack of agenda, except for what was on the heart of God, really changed everything.”
Also keeping everyone’s humility in check were daily critique sessions, which included feedback that was surprisingly candid and constructive. As lyrics were tweaked and keys were changed (sometimes several times), one creative expression of worship after the next began to emerge. Before long, there were 22 possible tracks, which surpassed even these artists’ wildest expectations.
Common Ground
A bountiful songwriting harvest wasn’t the retreat’s only significant function. For artists who typically only cross paths at summer musical festivals or the occasional industry function, the retreat also provided an outlet for true community.
Whether it was the time set aside for corporate worship and devotions each morning, a scenic walk together through the quaint Scottish town, or the delicious food and meaningful conversations enjoyed during meals, those were many of the artists’ favorite moments.
“The highlight of my week has been the pervasive sense of community. There’s love in the house,” Michael W. Smith said. “I always was optimistic that it was going to be a great time together; but I have to tell you, I couldn’t be more pleased. We’re all getting along so well, it’s been sort of a love feast.”
Worship leader Baloche couldn’t help but agree. “I can’t even tell you how rewarding it was to hang out with people who really get you and what you’re about,” he says. “It was a great way to start a new year, that’s for sure. That deep connection has made all the difference in collaborating together.”
The Next Chapter
While the week in Scotland set things in motion, it was hardly the end of the Compassionart experience. A month after the retreat, several of the artists, including Chris Tomlin, who couldn’t make it to the Scotland because of illness, reconvened at London’s famed Abbey Road studio to record the songs of Compassionart.
Additionally, Michael W. Smith and 2008 Grammy winner Houghton recorded the song “So Great,” which officially debuted in April 2008 on the popular WoW Hits album and was performed at the annual GMA Music Awards telecast.
As recording has continued, 13 tracks have emerged for the forthcoming album titled Compassionart, which is slated to hit store shelves a year after it all began—in January 2009. Joining in the spirit of giving, Amy Grant, tobyMac, CeCe Winans, Christy Nockels, Joel Houston, Kirk Franklin, Rebecca St. James and Leeland also lent their voices to the cause with guest appearances.
Details of how the charity dollars will be allocated also have been announced. After settling on to which charities the 12 songwriters will donate half of the money, the other half will be designated for several interactive ventures.
One of the projects funded by Compassionart is the construction of an arts center in Rwanda. “We’re sponsoring villages in Rwanda with hundreds and hundreds of orphans who are HIVpositive,” Martin says. “By creating an arts center, we as writers would get to go there and be a part of it, which is incredible.”
Another project is taking shape in the rubbish dumps of Cambodia, where a portable classroom would be available on a bus, which would provide “a bit of food and education in the process,” according to Martin.
Lastly, an initiative has been designed to bring hope to those living in Mumbai. “One of the worst problems there is the oppression of the mothers and children who earn their living by being in sexual slavery,” Martin says. “We hope to bring a bit of freedom there, and we feel like we’ve got some great projects in the works to help any way we can.”
Emphasizing the biblical value of working together for a common purpose, Smith looks forward to teaming up with his fellow songwriters again to see the fruit of their labor in action.
“I didn’t want Compassionart simply to be a one-time event. I wanted it to be something we all can invest in for the long haul,” Martin said. “I can’t wait to see how God will work in the lives of the people who need it the most.”
For more information on Compassionart, check out www.compassionart.co.uk.
LISTEN UP:
Download “So Great” from your favorite online music site, and 100 percent of the money will go to the work of Compassionart.
Originally published October 31, 2008.
