Flea, Jack Black, will.i.am, Rufus Wainwright, and over forty other celebrities have donated original drawings for “You Can’t Memorize This,” a limited edition book that will benefit the LilySarahGrace Foundation. The organization’s goal is to raise $20,000 to make this book, the proceeds from which will go to help develop curriculum through the arts in underfunded public elementary schools. Currently, the Kickstarter has raised just over half of its goal, at $10,798 with just nineteen days to go. The trailer for the campaign (viewable on the Kickstarter page for “You Can’t Memorize This”) features a six pound Malitpoo dog named “Pippy Badger” narrating. She explains the origins of the Foundation and what the purpose of the campaign is.
The “Color Outside The Lines” campaign is a collection of drawings being made into the book, “You Can’t Memorize This.” The organization has raised $1 million since April of 2012, to benefit schools and their arts programs. “The arts have been cut out of public elementary schools. Kids can go through their whole educational experience without picking up a paintbrush, playing music or being in a play,” the narrator says. “Teaching through the arts is much better. It’s been proven. The greatest stuff in life can be learned, but can’t be memorized. That’s why the book is called, ‘You Can’t Memorize This’.” The video also features a few of the drawings that will be housed in the book, including Tina Fey’s self portrait, Lionel Richie’s hand tracing, Johnny Knoxville’s rendering of a bull farting his name, Rufus Wainwright’s rabbit next to a gramophone, and Lena Dunham’s bunny.
Matthew Badger and partner Abby Ballin founded The LilySarahGrace Foundation after Badger’s three young daughters, nine year old Lily, and seven year old twins Sarah and Grace, were horrendously killed in a fire on Christmas Day in 2011. Their father, having witnessed how crucial arts curriculum had been for his dyslexic daughters, was inspired to create The Foundation. The book, as implied by its title, represents the importance of arts based learned versus rote memorization and recall used in many elementary schools. Drawings and artwork from Whoopi Goldberg, Will Ferrell, Jennifer Aniston, Joaquin Phoenix, Naomi Watts, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ed Helms, Casey Affleck, Jessica Biel, Jason Bateman, Julianne Moore, Justin Theroux, among others will be featured in “You Can’t Memorize This.” The Kickstarter deadline is Friday, October 24th. Further details can be found at the LilySarahGrace website.