John Lennon Real Love Project Honored With 2021 imPAX Prize

USA - English

• USA - English

NEW YORK, Dec. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The John Lennon Real Love Project, a special initiative of Theatre Within, received the 2021 imPAX Prize today for its innovative efforts providing free programs in creative expression and mindfulness to communities in need.

The imPAX Prize recognizes an organization or individual making a positive and profound social impact through the musical arts.

The John Lennon Real Love Project mission and its inspiration were celebrated on the weekend of the 41st Annual John Lennon Tribute Concert held at Symphony Space in New York City where artist and advocate Ani DiFranco was honored with Theatre Within's John Lennon Real Love Award.

Presenting the honor were 2020 imPAX Prize recipients, the Forever Young Foundation and its Sophie's Place project, represented by founders Kent and Anne-Marie Barton.
"The John Lennon Real Love Project, in the challenging year of 2021, boldly committed to reaching more people in need of its mission, including its generous offerings to public schools," said Anne-Marie Barton. "We thank the project for amplifying music for the common good in our world."

"It is a great honor and very gratifying for the John Lennon Real Love Project to be recognized, as well as to be empowered to bring John Lennon's music and message to children in public schools," President and Artistic Director Joe Raiola said. "Schools are starving for music and arts programs, and one which focuses and manifests on 'real love' is more important than ever in the age of school mass shootings."

The John Lennon Real Love Project was formed in 2014 to advance the positive, creative and peace-centered ideals of singer/songwriter and humanitarian John Lennon. With support of Yoko Ono it launched its mission at Children's Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx providing pediatric patients with the healing gift of music.

The project has partnered for many years with Gilda's Club to meet the creative and emotional needs of children who have lost a parent or have a parent undergoing treatment for cancer. Throughout 2021 the project delivered over 250 mindfulness and wellness workshops at no cost to communities in need.

In its outreach to public schools, the mission offers songwriting workshops and an inspirational curriculum, providing students with educational insights at the intersection where popular music history meets the ideals of community-based wellness and peace building. Students compose their own lyrics to the Lennon-penned song "Real Love" and, professionally mixed, their unique version incorporates the world-renowned singer's original music and voice into a customized recording.

About the John Lennon Real Love Project
Inspired by the artistic contribution and peace-centered activism of world-renowned artist John Lennon, with the support of Yoko Ono, the John Lennon Real Love Project is a visionary songwriting workshop and music education program. The project was launched at Children's Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx in 2014 and found a home in subsequent years at Gilda's Club NYC. Starting in 2021, the project is offered at no cost to public schools, either on site or online.

About the imPAX Prize
The imPAX Prize is bestowed annually upon organization making a substantial, positive social-impact contribution within the music-industry ecosystem. The prize is a "pay-it-forward" deed and demonstration, presented to the winner by the previously honored music-based nonprofit mission. In addition to the recognition, a grant is provided in the honoree's name to an intern, student or professional practitioner in the music education or music therapy field. Past recipients include Life Is Beautiful, Playing For Change Foundation, Women in Music and Forever Young Foundation's Sophie's Place.

Contact: John McKenna, [email protected]

Media Contact

John McKenna, KENNASCOPE, 1 212-560-2552, [email protected]

SOURCE John Lennon Real Love Project