5th Annual Blues, Brews & BBQ

ABOUT THE EVENT

The brainchild of West End Arts District founder and president Sandra Russell, Blues Brews and BBQ is our main fundraising event, supporting WEAD’s many artistic endeavors throughout the year.  West End Arts District typically manages two or three major projects per year, as well as supporting regular events on Webster Street, and providing support & fiscal sponsorship services to artists working in the West End. Last year, we ran a major crowdfunding campaign to finance the Webster Gateway Mural which was completed by Dave Young Kim in November 2021. This year, we are focused on raising funds for the Taxiway Asphalt Art Project. With an estimated budget of $60K, this ambitious project will be a challenge for our small team; but, we thrive on the challenge and know we can rely on the support of the West End community.

For the 2022 edition of Blues, Brews and BBQ, we are thrilled to showcase the inspirational work of Little Village Foundation.  Little Village Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization which specializes in presenting different sounds and stories by often overlooked artists operating outside the mainstream.  Looking to break the stranglehold of the large commercial record labels, Little Village Founder, Jim Pugh imagined a donor-driven organization which could finance the recording of the music and an initial run of one thousand CDs for each artist they work with. The artists sell the albums themselves, keeping the profits, and Little Village maintains the copyrights to all of their recordings. Founded, like West End Arts District in 2015, Little Village Foundation supports the dreams of artists from non-traditional backgrounds who are working in genres with deep roots in American culture.

All of the artists performing at the 2022 Blues, Brews and BBQ festival are supported by Little Village Foundation.