As little as 7 Minutes

With a Works4Charity Grant you get
a word-famous performance,
and artwork that raises meaningful funds.

When was the last time the headliner paid you?

WHY WORKS4CHARITY

 

When I take the stage and start painting...  everyone thinks I've lost my mind.

A wildman gone insane on stage. Paint splashing, brushes flying. Nothing recognizable—just a mess. People look curiously at each other, what's this.. who's gonna clean that up? it doesn't make sense.

They can't see what's coming.

Then, an image becomes faily recognizable or maybe I save it for the final reveal at the end — and the same people who were thinking this is rediculous are on their feet cheering. Suddenly, they feel something and I'm a visionary. A genius.

Works4Charity is that same painting, played out in real life.

At first, it sounds impossible...

they think I'm insane.

After it's done, I'm a visionary. A genius.

At first, the program looks just as crazy.

Why would an entertainer give away his performance, donate his artwork, and risk paying for his own show?

It makes no sense — until you see the finished picture. Honestly, I can imaging anyone else making this work on this level, and I am grateful I can.

Is there a catch? Yes, there's a catch! It works!

It works because my work has emotional depth, it is compelling, it reflects the thoughts and beliefs of those who experience it, becomes part of their identity, something that must remain a part of their world... so they compete to own it. That supports the cause and ongoing programs. It's not about speed or painting upside down.

After decades of show worldwide, why do I still travel and do these programs, instead of retiring and laying on the beach?

"Because I can."

— Michael Israel

Works4Charity began with a charity that wanted my live performance and artwork for their gala — and couldn't afford my fees, even at a discount. Sure, they could get a cheap act, but that wouldn't serve there mission like I could.

When I asked My management, the answer was,

"Seriously, are you kidding? No! Just, No.

I said, "Too late, I told them yes."

What happened next was truly extraordinary.

Instead of walking away saying sorry, nope, you don't have the budget... that charity and I built something special— a model around shared success, personal engagement, real fundraising, and a night nobody forgets that has brought success for hundreds of causes since.

What started as a one-time exception became one of the most sought-after grants a gala can receive: a live performance and art-auction experience valued at over $250,000 at no cost to the charity. Works4Charity has since helped raise millions for causes that matter. I was suddenly giving as much as a gala's largest donors.

No performance fee. No financial risk. Even travel was covered.

And each charity walks away with tens of thousands — sometimes hundreds of thousands — in new money for their cause. Plus they typically sell more sponsorships and admission tickets. A few, had to more to bigger venues to accomodate the crowd.

Later, a major company wanted me for an important corporate event — but they'd only found out about me after they had committed their entertainment budget.

 

Under normal circumstances, what they offered to pay was a hard NO.

Then I got an idea that made my management certain I'd lost my mind.

Normally, a company pays full price for the show. The artwork costs extra. The agency takes its fee on top of that.

Huge discounts or free shows are for a select few charities, not big companies... Still, I made them an offer no entertainer would ever make.

I'd give them a big show and provide the artwork for almost nothing —

On one condition.

After the show, they had to give me time for a live art auction, with the proceeds going to a charity we'd choose together.

The CEO loved the idea… but he felt guilty taking advantage of my generosity. He said:

"I know our people will love your show, but they are here for a company meeting," he said. "They don't spend on things, and they're definitely not going to buy artwork."

I smiled and replied:

"OK. Let's do it anyway."

He was right about them loving the show but, could not have been more wrong about them buying artwork.

That night went insanely well, Habitat for Humanity collected nearly $100,000 in artwork sales.

The company got a headline experience at a fraction of the usual cost. Habitat for Humanity didn't have to plan a gala, rent a ballroom, or spend months fundraising. They simply showed up — and walked away with real money for their mission.

And something happened no one expected.

The entire audience were on cloud 9... happy, elated, they'd expereinced an uplifting show and raised a ton of money for a cause  they support. The people buying the art were moved. Excited. Emotional. Grateful. They even apologized for not bidding higher.

They didn't feel pressured to give.

They felt lucky to get a steal and inspired to own something that mattered.

Everyone won.

By every rule of business, I should have walked away. On paper, none of it made sense.

Why'd I do it?

If I didn't step up, the charity got nothing.

Instead of a big paycheck, my team and I walked away with something better — proof that we'd built something that genuinely changed lives.

That night, my Corporate Conscience Program was born — a bridge between premium corporate entertainment and real charitable impact, letting a company host an extraordinary event while doing visible, meaningful good.

The following year, that company called. They had formed a foundation to help their own members and asked if I would give them the program again.

Wow! Great times and good causes!

The only problem I never saw coming was that it worked too well.

 

Anyone who witnessed a Works4Charity night understood it instantly. Anyone who hadn't experienced it, couldn't wrap their head around it and assumed there had to be a catch.

It sounded too good to be true. So I defending it, I made it even better —too good to pass up.

The program has succeeded every singel time! It never fails, so I eventually did something entirely unheard of, something no one saw coming.

I put the guarantees for the charity directly into the grant agreement:

 

Guaranteed income for the charity, in writing. This meant the charity had zero financial risk. Nothing to lose. Everything to gain.

Today, only a handful of Works4Charity and Corporate Conscience programs are awarded for nonprofits and companies that want more than another fundraiser or another corporate event. They want something unforgettable with lasting impact.

And when a live performance isn't possible, charities we support can still benefit through original artwork or print donations that carry the mission forward.

Standing ovations are great.

Changing lives is better.

The bad news? I can only provide a few programs each year and I will retire from touring soon, then there will be no more.