Leo Burnett and Mi9 create Made to Grow for expressive therapy centre KidsXpress social enterprise to help kids impacted by trauma

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lb.jpgTonight sees the launch of Made to Grow, a social enterprise created to help raise funds for expressive therapy centre KidsXpress by Leo Burnett, Sydney and Mi9.

 

Leo Burnett and Mi9, in conjunction with KidsXpress, are founding partners of Made to Grow, a project that engages the art, music and drama worlds to commission exclusive works under a self-sustaining fundraising model.

Born in Leo Burnett’s Sydney office, the Made to Grow concept is the result of a brief to build awareness and fundraising to grow the operations of KidsXpress, a not-for-profit organisation that harnesses the power of expressive therapies to transform the lives of children impacted by trauma by helping them communicate through music, art and drama.

 

Under the Made to Grow model, when a commissioned artwork is sold, some of the money raised goes directly to KidsXpress and some is used to commission a new work by another established artist.

 

The aim is to expand commissioned pieces beyond artworks and apply the same self-sustaining fundraising model to photography, music and the dramatic arts, reflecting the range of therapies used at KidsXpress.

 

Made to Grow is close to the heart of both Leo Burnett Sydney and Mi9, with Leo Burnett offering pro bono creative, strategic and production services including producing a video and a book showcasing artworks created by 21 children who have completed the KidsXpress program.

 

kidX.jpgMi9 employees have staged an ongoing series of events and programs to raise the start-up funds for Made to Grow.

 

Says Margo Ward, KidsXpress founder and CEO: “Mi9 and Leo Burnett have captured the transformative power of healing a child using the KidsXpress unique expressive therapy program through the social enterprise, Made to Grow. Together the trio bring something new to the world of giving and an extraordinary gift to society.” 

 

Says Andy DiLallo, chief creative officer Leo Burnett Sydney: “Made to Grow has the potential to fund significant expansion of KidsXpress so that its pioneering work can reach more children in more places both locally and even overseas. It takes what is at the heart of KidsXpress work – creative expression – and turns it into a self-generating revenue source to help create better futures for kids. We are proud to launch such a meaningful project with the power to transform the lives of kids impacted by trauma.”

 

Adds Mi9 CEO Mark Britt: “Our partnership with KidsXpress is about creating more than ‘just a job’ for our people who realise they have a role to play in the world, and feel a responsibility to do that well. Our industry thinks creatively for a living. Made to Grow is a perfect example of three organisations coming together and thinking creatively about how the media and advertising industry can make a real difference.”

 

Made to Grow’s first commissioned artwork is by six-year-old child prodigy Aelita Andre. Melbourne-based Aelita is already established as an international artist, having exhibited in New York, Hong Kong and London. Aelita’s triptych, Blue Ocean, will be unveiled at the launch and sold to support KidsXpress. Artworks from 21 children who have completed the KidsXpress program will also be exhibited and auctioned at the KidsXpress Centre at EQ, Moore Park.

 

The exhibition runs until 2 October.