Leuven Blues is a non-profit organization with the goal of fostering a music and arts cultural exchange between Leuven, Belgium and Big Apple Blues. In collaboration with Big Apple Blues, Leuven Blues will organize an annual Blues Festival featuring top Belgian musicians in the genre along with international touring acts in Leuven, Belgium. The band best voted by the public will be invited to perform at the Big Apple Blues Festival in September in New York, USA. Likewise, the best voted band from the Big Apple Blues Festival in New York will also be sponsored to perform in the Leuven Blues Festival in the Spring of 2017.

Blues music is arguably the most significant American contribution to humanity: having originated in the deep south of The United States at the end of the 19th Century, the genre spread throughout the world like wildfire. Its influence can be felt today in virtually every genre of modern music: iconic artists like Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Dire Straits, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and countless others started their careers by imitating American blues. In contrast to the common conception of blues as melancholic and sad, blues is music of transcendence that celebrates life, joy and universally shared experience. As a cultural organization, Leuven Blues aims to celebrate the cornerstone of modern music by showcasing the best blues artists Belgium and the rest of the world has to offer.

Who is Leuven Blues?

Leuven Blues is a non-profit organization based in Leuven, Belgium. The current board members are Admir “Dr. Blues” Hadzic (New York, USA), Hugh Pool (Brooklyn, USA), Ruben Bertrands (Leuven, Belgium), Catherine Vandepitte (Holsbeek, Belgium), Steven Dewaele (Belgium), Marc Haselaars (Genk, Belgium), and Bernard Bynens (Belgium). Leuven Blues at present organizes one annual festival event at Het Depot in Leuven, Belgium. Additional activities include collaborating activities between the New York and Belgian artists and blues, blues-rock and related genres.