LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today marks the announcement of 320 ExperiMENTAL, a mental health awareness event and benefit concert co-produced by USC students in a class of Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman, Talinda Bennington, widow of the late Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, and mental health advocacy organization Sound Mind Live, in partnership with University of Southern California.
Taking place on October 10, 2022, the event will feature live performances by Andy Grammer and Kiiara at University of Southern California and streamed globally in partnership with YouTube Health & Wellness. The event will include a campus mental health fair and panels, featuring leading mental health organizations such as JED Foundation, and culminate in an evening benefit concert on campus. Andy Grammer, best known for his hit songs, Keep Your Head Up and Fine By Me, will headline the event. Everclear front-man, Art Alexakis and Maybelline New York Brave Together ambassador and founder of the Sad Girls Club, Elyse Fox will join the panel discussions.
There is an acute need to provide resources to young people seeking information on mental health. A recent CDC report found that 1 in 4 youth between the ages of 18 to 24 report experiencing pandemic-related anxiety and depression contemplated suicide. Talinda Bennington said, “Working alongside Kevin Lyman, Sound Mind, and the USC students to create such an important event has been an honor. Taking care of our mental health is as important as taking care of our physical health. We aim to reduce stigma and increase conversation around this topic.”
“College is such a crucial time to tune into mental health,” Sound Mind Live founder Chris Bullard shares. “While universities can be a place of immense growth academically and socially, pushing oneself in new ways often comes with increased strain on emotional and psychological wellbeing. We’re thrilled to partner with University of Southern California students and JED Foundation to leverage the power of music to build community around mental health and elevate important resources and tools of support. With the increased strain students have been under over the past few years, our hope is that music can continue to be a vehicle to increase mental health support at USC, as well as other campuses across the country.”
320 ExperiMental is made possible with support from Maybelline, who in 2020 introduced Brave Together, a long-term program to support anxiety and depression. Additional support provided by Society of Valued Minds, which brings together mental health advocates to share their lived experiences in their own unique ways. An initiative of Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc., SoVM is on a mission to shatter stigma, create actionable awareness, and show the world the value of every mind.
320 ExperiMental is free to USC Students, Faculty, Staff, and Alumni. For additional event information and to RSVP, please visit 320experimental.org.
320 ExperiMental
October 10, 2022
University of Southern California
Mental Health Fair: Carson Lawn 1-4 PM
Performances and Panels: USC Grand Ballroom 7-10 PM
ABOUT SOUND MIND LIVE
Sound Mind Live brings together musicians, music lovers, and forward-thinking organizations to build community and open dialogue around mental health. Sound Mind’s mission is to catalyze social action to end the stigma that surrounds mental health through the power of music and raise awareness of critical mental health programs and services for those in need of support. Sound Mind events and digital media create a safe space where music and an open inclusive conversation around mental health coexist through collaboration across artists and organizations. Visit www.soundmindlive.org to learn more about our mission and join our social community on Instagram.
ABOUT USC THORNTON SCHOOL OF MUSIC:
The University of Southern California is a leading private research university located in Los Angeles — a global center for arts, technology and international business. It is home to the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and 22 exceptional academic schools and units. USC’s Health Sciences campus houses renowned specialized care and research in cancer, stem cell and regenerative medicine, orthopedics and sports medicine. The university is the largest private sector employer in the city of Los Angeles, responsible for $8 billion annually in economic activity in the region.