Charlie Puth Named Honorary Chair Of Count Basie Center’s ‘Forever For Everyone’ Endowment Campaign

The nonprofit Count Basie Center for the Arts has announced its $20m ‘Forever For Everyone’ endowment campaign. GRAMMY nominated, multi-platinum singer / songwriter / producer Charlie Puth, the onetime student of the Count Basie Center Academy of the Arts who kicked off his ‘One Night Only’ tour at the venue, was named honorary chair.

“My ‘One Night Only’ tour kicked off last night at the Count Basie Center for the Arts, where I once trained and honed my skills,” said Puth, whose third studio album, Charlie, was released on October 7th via Atlantic Records. “It is important to me to make arts education accessible to children, which is why I'm proud to serve as honorary chair of the Basie Center's ‘Forever for Everyone’ endowment campaign.”

Also last evening, the Count Basie Center announced a scholarship in Charlie Puth’s name, available to students interested in participating in any Count Basie Center Academy program.

The endowment aims to raise $20 million dollars, allowing the organization to offer scholarships in perpetuity to Basie Center Academy programs; to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the performing arts; fund the Basie Center’s goals for strategic growth; and create an emergency fund for upkeep of its campus, including its 96-year-old historic theater.

“The ‘Forever For Everyone’ endowment will award hundreds of yearly scholarships to students who wish to study at the Basie Center Academy, like I did,” Puth added. “The Basie Center offers classes and arts education experiences that teach not just performance skills, but also critical life skills like confidence, tolerance, teamwork, and collaboration.” The Count Basie Center’s ‘Forever For Everyone’ campaign aims to raise money to achieve three organizational goals:

“As our historic theater approaches its 100th anniversary, we’re focused on the next century, and the opportunities the Count Basie Center can create for the community,” said Adam Philipson, President and CEO, Count Basie Center for the Arts. “At the core of our mission to Inspire, Educate and Entertain is the creation of a new generation of equitable access to arts education for our children. This campaign, and the generosity of our donors and the general public, will make those opportunities possible.”

Philanthropists and longtime Count Basie Center supporters Carol Stillwell and Valerie Montecalvo will co-chair the campaign, expressing their commitment to providing arts education opportunities to the region’s students.

“Valerie and I love the Count Basie Center for the Arts and recognize the impact this campaign will bring to the children of our community,” said ‘Forever For Everyone’ co-chair Carol Stillwell. “The opportunity we have in front of us, to create a legacy by widening the impact of the Basie Center’s arts education programs, is potentially life changing. We’ve witnessed the joy and confidence arts education creates in students, and we believe it’s crucial that all children receive these opportunities.”

“’Forever For Everyone’ isn’t just a slogan, it’s our credo moving forward,” CEO Philipson concluded. “What the Count Basie Center provides in the field of arts education should be equitable, accessible, and available to all students interested in the arts. This campaign is our commitment to ensure that legacy is fulfilled.”

For more information or to contribute to the Count Basie Center’s Forever For Everyone endowment campaign, visit
www.thebasie.org/endowment

Yesterday's (September 24) Global Citizen Festival took place simultaneously in Ghana and New York City. The free annual music festival celebrated its 10th anniversary with performances by Mariah Carey, MÅNESKIN, Usher, Mickey Guyton, Metallica, The Jonas Brothers, Charlie Puth and more. Priyanka Chopra Jonas hosted the milestone event, which brings together artists, activists, world leaders, philanthropists, corporate leaders and more, with one collective mission: to end extreme poverty.

The 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign culminated in $2.4 billion in to end extreme poverty, with key commitments announced on the festival stages from world leaders, governments, and corporate, philanthropic, and NGO partners.

Last year's focus was COVID-19, ending the hunger crisis, resuming learning for all, protecting the planet and advancing equity for all. Hosted by singer and actress Selena Gomez, VAX LIVE featured performances by Jennifer Lopez, Eddie Vedder, Foo Fighters, J Balvin, and H.E.R. Special appearances included Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Ben Affleck, Chrissy Teigen, David Letterman, Gayle King, Jimmy Kimmel, Nomzamo Mbatha, Olivia Munn, Sean Penn and more. This year's event didn't have any big names in presenters besides Bill Nye the Science Guy.

Watch most of the performances below:

Take a look at photos from the performances from the 2022 Global Citizen Festival below: