Our international dance scene is a wonderful place to enjoy life and express ourselves through dance. We are exploring ways to give back to nature, the community and the African American culture in which this dance was born.
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.
This spot has now been filled. Thanks to all community leaders nominating someone!
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 10% 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. We give free access to 2 Black Lindy Hoppers.
Results of the 2026 fund
Thank you for being generous during Big City Blues 2026!
Our Social & Sustainability Fund collected €2605 in total
- All participants contributed €5, included in their ticket
- 51 participants added another €15, €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 24 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 and the Black Lindy Hoppers Fund. (€2284)
- We donated the remaining €321 to projects in line with our values:
- BOS+, for their reforestation project Treecological
- Gentse Swing Kids, our summer dance camp for kids. This money will go towards access for kids and youngsters in vulnerable financial situations.
Thank you for contributing to & benefitting from the Fund!