Our international dance scene is a wonderful place to enjoy life and express ourselves through dance. And we can make it better!
We are the most fortunate people on this planet. Even though sometimes it might not feel like that, let’s take a moment to show gratitude and to give back to the community, the planet and the African American culture that created this wonderful dance.
We invite all participants to contribute to the social & sustainable fund of Big City Blues. In fact, you automatically do, because €5 of your standard ticket price goes directly into the fund. We warmly encourage you to donate more, if you can afford it, and help us in making the Festival even more sustainable.
We work towards making Big City Blues a more sustainable event.
How? By rethinking catering, creating a social and sustainability fund, working with refugees, giving some less fortunate locals reduced entrance to the festival, encouraging better ways of travelling to the festival, facilitating training and talks on African American art forms and generating positive and welcoming atmospheres during the event.
Open call for community leaders
Each edition, we reserve a number of spots for active dancers who have never travelled to a festival before, due to financial reasons.
We call upon scene leaders to nominate these people! 📣
We provide access to the festival including a track of choice for a symbolic amount of €50.
We will also do our utmost best to secure free hosting for them.
Big City Blues believes in building strong communities and local scenes. The festival strives to be a place where learning, exchange and collaboration between hundreds of participants is made possible.
Are you a community leader who has someone in mind? Fill out the form to nominate this person!
About the Fund
Where does the money come from?
- All of us! Every participant of Big City Blues contributes €5 during registration.
- Ticket prices are priced to be able to organize the event in a sustainable way. We offer a sliding scale for registration prices. If you are capable of giving more, you can choose to do so.
- The organizer, Upside Down, donates to the fund as well.
Where does the money go to?
- Support dancers in vulnerable socio-economic situations or living in a country with lower economic rates.
- Support NGOs that fight for our values
A minimum of 20% of the fund will be assigned to NGO’s.
This edition’s donations will go to:
- Gentse Swing Kids: Upside Down’s local dance project with children in vulnerable circumstances.
- BOS+, for their reforestation project Treecological
- Black Lindy Hoppers Fund (BLHF), for bridging the gap of knowledge, access and development for Black Lindy Hoppers.
- The Al Minns Next Generation’s Project (NGP) that nurtures and trains young Black American dancers in the art of authentic Lindy Hop and vernacular Jazz.
Results of last edition’s fund
Thank you for being generous during Big City Blues 2025!
Our Social & Sustainability Fund collected €3725 in total
- All participants contributed €5, included in their ticket
- 80 participants added another €10, €25, €45 or €90 – thank you!
- Upside Down topped the fund with €500 out of pocket
How was this money used?
- We were able to welcome 37 participants in a vulnerable socio-economic situation or with a disadvantageous GDP at a discounted price (25%, 50% or 80% off) or for free through the community leader call. (€2922)
- We donated €803 equally among 3 NGOs that do work in line of our values:
- BOS+, for their reforestation project Treecological
- Collective Voices For Change (CVFC), for actively fighting racial inequality and cultural appropriation within the jazz dance community in Europe and beyond
- Black Lindy Hoppers Fund (BLHF), for bridging the gap of knowledge, access and development for Black Lindy Hoppers.
Thank you for contributing to & benefitting from the Fund!