Indianapolis Colts Named Title Sponsor of the 5th Annual Light Up The Blues

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., April 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Indianapolis Colts have signed on as the title sponsor for the 5^th Annual Light Up The Blues Concert—An Evening of Music to Benefit Autism Speaks, the world's largest autism science and advocacy organization. Produced by Nederlander Concerts, this year's event to be held Saturday, April 21 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles will feature performances by Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Burt Bacharach, Judy Collins, Sheryl Crow, Chris Stills, Oliver Stills, Benmont Tench, Mike Campbell, Steve Ferrone, and more. Jack Black will return as emcee along with many special guests, including performances by three artists with autism.

"The Colts are proud to be involved with Light Up The Blues and supporting its noble cause of enhancing the lives of those affected by autism," said Indianapolis Colts Owner and CEO Jim Irsay.  "I am truly honored by this opportunity to unite with greats like Stephen Stills and the people of Autism Speaks toward a common goal."

"We are so grateful for all of our many sponsors this year in helping support the mission of Autism Speaks. We especially would like to express deep gratitude to Jim Irsay and The Indianapolis Colts for coming in as our title sponsor," said hosts Kristen and Stephen Stills.

In addition to the title sponsor, a number of other companies and individuals have come aboard at both the In Part By level and the Proud Sponsors level.

In Part By Sponsors include:

The GUESS? Foundation - The mission of the GUESS Foundation is to pursue social, health and educational opportunities that enhance the well-being, development, protection and assistance to men, women and children in our global environment.

Chris Bollenbach, Lead Director, Bottega Louie: "By supporting those on the spectrum and their families, Autism Speaks' positive impact on our communities is far more massive than people realize."

Stephen Stills Children's Music Project - The mission is to support music and arts programs for children. We will provide both financial support and technical assistance in promotion, outreach and organizational development. We believe music programs offer opportunities for children to experience self-expression and develop self-confidence. We also believe the unique learning process contributes to increased skills for overall school curriculum.

Bob Wright and Susan Keenan Wright – Mr. Wright is a co-founder of Autism Speaks, inspired by his grandson, who was diagnosed with autism.

Proud Sponsors include:

Colleen and Chuck Saftler
Paramount Pictures
Sony Pictures Television
NBCUniversal
Lionsgate
Warner Bros. Television Worldwide Distribution
The Walt Disney Studios
FX Networks

The April 21 event spotlights Light It Up Blue, Autism Speaks' annual global campaign for understanding and acceptance, which began on April 2, World Autism Awareness Day, and continues throughout April, World Autism Month. Light Up The Blues will celebrate the many gifts of individuals with autism, while supporting Autism Speaks in its mission to promote solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the life span, for children, adults and families affected by autism spectrum disorder. Proceeds from the Light Up The Blues Concert will go toward Autism Speaks' efforts to advance research, increase early childhood screening and interventions, and improve the transition to adulthood.

Please text LightUp to 52182 to make a donation.

About Autism: Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. We now know that there is not one autism but many subtypes, and each person with autism can have unique strengths and challenges. Most are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental influences, and many are accompanied by medical issues such as GI disorders, seizures and sleep disturbances. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 1 in 68 children is on the autism spectrum.

About Autism Speaks: Autism Speaks is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the life span, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. We do this through advocacy and support; increasing understanding and acceptance of people with autism; and advancing research into causes and better interventions for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions. We empower people with autism and their families with resources, online tools and information covering the life span. Go to AutismSpeaks.org to learn more, donate or join a fundraising walk.

About Nederlander Concerts: Nederlander Concerts promotes and produces a wide range of quality live entertainment throughout the United States and ranked among the top 10 promoters in the country.  A boutique, independent, event promotion firm, Nederlander exclusively operates and programs the most coveted and awarded small to mid-size venues including the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, Vina Robles Amphitheatre in Paso Robles, City National Grove of Anaheim and City National Civic of San Jose. In addition, the company promotes events at third party arenas, theatres and clubs across the country including the Greek Theatre, Statesman Skyline Theater at the Long Center and The Belmont in Austin and San Diego Civic, among others.  Visit NederlanderConcerts for more information.

About Dolby Theatre: One of the world's premier entertainment venues, Dolby Theatre has hosted a range of prestigious artists and events since opening in the fall of 2001. From September 2011 to January 2013, Dolby Theatre was home to IRIS by Cirque du Soleil. Some of the artists that have graced the stage include Josh Groban, Mariah Carey, Steven Tyler, Celine Dion, Prince, Andrea Bocelli, Dixie Chicks, Tyler Perry, American Ballet Theatre and various touring Broadway productions. It was the home of almost all American Idol season finales including the Fox farewell in April 2016, as well as the live shows of NBC's America's Got Talent since the summer of 2016.

To learn more, please visit:
http://www.stephenstills.com/
https://www.autismspeaks.org/

SOURCE Autism Speaks

Related Links

https://www.autismspeaks.org/