Jewel has been tapped perform at Sean Penn‘s CORE fundraiser gala at Art Basel Miami Beach.
The annual CORE Miami Art Basel Gala will be held Dec. 5 at Soho Beach House. This year’s co-chair committee includes Jon Bon Jovi, Jorge Perez, Jared Leto, Alessandra Ambrosio, Diplo, Garcelle Beauvais and Soleil Moon Frye.
CORE, or Community Organized Relief Effort, is a global humanitarian response organization co-founded by Penn and Ann Lee that is dedicated to empowering underserved communities in and beyond crisis. The organization’s programs focus on emergency response and preparedness, addressing climate change and health access.
CORE has responded to natural disasters, conflict, food insecurity, disease outbreaks, climate change and public health emergencies on five continents. The organization is currently focused on ongoing humanitarian responses in Ukraine and Sudan amid devastating conflicts, as well as disaster relief and preparedness in the Caribbean and coastal U.S.
Jewel, who’s been friends with Penn for years, also has been a longstanding supporter of CORE.
“I .. have always been inspired by CORE’s work that began in Haiti and expanded to other communities,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “I met CORE’s CEO Ann Lee in Navajo Nation during the pandemic when I was there with my Inspiring Children Foundation to activate domestic abuse support programs. Our meeting in Navajo Nation sparked an opportunity for us to support each other’s initiatives, all of which are rooted in uplifting communities, particularly the most vulnerable.”
Jewel said that when Lee mentioned the fundraiser, she jumped at the chance to perform. (The Hollywood Reporter is the media partner for this year’s gala.)
“I love inspiring guests at fundraising events to contribute to worthy organizations like CORE, and I’m honored to be part of this special evening to celebrate and support CORE’s work,” she said, adding: “At the heart of CORE’s mission is community — uplifting the most vulnerable groups and empowering them to overcome crises and rebuild stronger than before. This focus on building resilience resonates deeply with me, as it aligns with the work of my own program, Never Broken, which provides essential resources to children and families from all socio-economic backgrounds, helping to foster their growth and development. CORE’s work with children in Haiti, Ukraine and beyond is a vital part of building strong communities.”
The CORE gala typically draws top art collectors and prominent figures from the art and design industry. CORE’s top donors, philanthropists, artists, celebrities and influencers help raise funds for its mission at the event, which features cocktails by the beach, a seated dinner and a live auction along with musical performances.
Jewel herself also has a passion for art and has had public showings of her works.
“My background is in marble carving and drawing, which I studied in school,” the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and activist said. “Recently, I had a multi-part installation at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, where I debuted a collection that included an oil painting, a sculpture, a holographic video and drone sky art.”
She’s in the midst of completing a new work, titled Heart of the Ocean, which she says blends sculpture, technology and neuroscience. She describes it as an eight-foot-tall clear resin chrysalis embedded with fiber optic cables.
“The sculpture will live-stream open-source oceanic data from a computer housed in its base, allowing the ocean itself to ‘play’ the sculpture,” she added of the unique design. “This interactive connection creates a multisensory experience designed to positively impact the viewer’s nervous system, offering the sensation of a ‘big nature’ experience indoors. A neuroscience study on the piece revealed that it induces Alpha and Theta brainwave states — levels of consciousness typically associated with meditation or lucid dreaming.”
CORE Miami’s 2024 honoree is Hollywood power attorney Mathew Rosengart, a partner at Greenberg Traurig LLP who also serves as CORE’s outside general counsel.
This marks CORE’s fourth fundraising gala tied to Art Basel. The event typically draws a star-studded guest list, with past attendees including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jared Leto, Diplo, Tobey Maguire and Bella Hadid, among others, and performers including Anitta and Wyclef Jean.
English (US) ·