The Garden of Dreams Foundation has announced that Darryl "DMC" McDaniels has been named Creative Director of the 2012 Garden of Dreams Talent Show taking place on Thursday, April 5, 2012 at Radio City Music Hall.
McDaniels was named to the Foundation’s Board of Directors in August 2011 after participating in various Garden of Dreams events and proving to be a great role model for the children. As Creative Director, McDaniels will continue to mentor and work closely with the children on their performances, and assist in shaping the overall run of the show while incorporating this year’s theme, “Dream Big.”
Garden of Dreams strives to be heroic, inspirational and unforgettable – all attributes of the children the Foundation has had the privilege to meet over the course of its history. Partnering with a diverse collection of outstanding children’s related organizations – from hospitals, to foster organizations, to homeless shelters and “wish” organizations, the Garden of Dreams Foundation has a singular goal each and every day – to utilize the power and magic of The Madison Square Garden Company and its properties to bring joy and happiness to children facing devastating problems – whether they relate to illness, homelessness, poverty, foster care issues or tragedy.
McDaniels has worked with Garden of Dreams over the past year by supporting the Foundation through various events, including mentoring children at last year’s Garden of Dreams Talent Show, Fuse Rocks the Classroom, and Dream Week.
“I am thrilled to be a part of the Garden of Dreams Talent Show again this year, and to play an even bigger role working with the children on their performances and shaping the show,” said McDaniels. “For them to be able to come and perform at Radio City Music Hall, when I had to wait almost half of a lifetime to do it, is a beautiful thing to see and a blessing to be a part of.”
“Darryl brought so much enthusiasm and spirit to last year’s talent show that we are honored that he will be Creative Director of this year’s show,” said Kristine Burton, Vice President, Community Relations. “As a pioneer of hip-hop, Darryl spent years performing on stages around the world. He is an incredible mentor to the children while working to bring out the best in their performances. We gain so much from our collaboration with him, particularly on the talent show, which is one of the most important events we do throughout the year.”
McDaniels is one of the pioneers of hip hop music, a founding member of the popular group Run DMC, a 2009 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and a Congressional Angels in Adoption Award recipient for his work with children in foster care and promotion of adoption. He also co-founded the Felix Organization, a non-profit that helps provide foster children the opportunity to attend summer camp, Camp Felix, every year. For more information on Darryl McDaniels, visit his official website at www.me-dmc.com.
The Garden of Dreams Talent Show will be held on Thursday, April 5 at 7pm at Radio City Music Hall. The event is free and open to the public. For more information about Garden of Dreams and the Garden of Dreams Talent show, visit www.GardenofDreamsFoundation.org.
