The 2012 Old Town BluesFest has been awarded a $7,500 grant by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA).
“The communities receiving these awards gain so much more than their dollar value,” stated John Bracey, executive director of MCACA. “These grants enhance education, stimulate cultural tourism, and strengthen communities statewide by impacting local economies and creating better quality of life.”
“The BluesFest is such a dynamic festival right at our door, showcasing regional and national talent,” said Terry Terry, president of Michigan Institute for Contemporary Art, producer of the BluesFest. “It has grown so much already, and with this grant we can do more to create a better experience that gives twice as much back to the community.”
This year’s festival, held Friday, September 21, and Saturday, September 22, features three stages of free performances, including headliners Sherman Moody Thomas (of Chicago), Eric Culberson (of Savannah, Ga.) and Sena Erhardt (of Minneapolis).
Old Town BluesFest was chosen from among 218 eligible applications statewide for its work in promoting arts and culture in Michigan, increasing arts education and supporting emerging artwork.
The grant includes support from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), which has also given support to sister festival Lansing JazzFest.
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Welcome to BluesFest 2012
The Old Town BluesFest is a two-day FREE music festival that brings national, regional, and local acts to an audience of roughly 15,000 people from across Michigan and nearby states.
BluesFest’s music truly is living music, history in the making. Each artist at the festival is asked to play an original composition, something that hasn’t been played at any other festival.
