Evolution Festival and MATI are prioritizing relief efforts over their bottom line this year following the devastating tornado that struck St. Louis in May.
Evolution Festival organizers announced that net proceeds from ticket, merchandising, concession and parking sales will go to the United Way of Greater St. Louis. The charity will use that money to assist tornado victims.
The move follows the festival changing its status from a for-profit event to a 501(c)(3), said Steve Schankman, Evolution Festival founder and executive producer.
“It's really St. Louis' festival and the state's festival,” Schankman said. “We couldn't think of [a] better charity or organization to partner with the United Way because they get out to so many organizations.”
Schankman hopes the focus on charitable giving will lead to an increase in ticket sales. He also pledged at least $100,000 to the United Way regardless of how much the event brings in. Proceeds from the festival’s lawn passes have been pledged to the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.
Evolution Festival will take place Sept. 27-28 at Langenberg Field in Forest Park. Lenny Kravitz, TLC, Father John Misty, Public Enemy and Sublime are among this year’s performers.
Evolution is the latest St. Louis music festival to dedicate a portion of its proceeds to tornado relief efforts. MATI (formerly known as Music at the Intersection) is working with 4 the Ville, a community group out of north St. Louis. The festival is donating $10 from each pass sold to the organization.
“We wanted to directly impact one of the organizations on the ground that are doing the good work, helping their community before the tornado, through the tornado, and will be there on the ground with them in the future,” Kranzberg Arts Foundation Executive Director Chris Hansen said.
Artists like Patti LaBelle, Common and Pete Rock, De La Soul and Keyon Harrold will perform at MATI from Sept. 12-14. The festival is also designing benefit T-shirts honoring Tina Turner, with proceeds going toward 4 the Ville.
Hansen said there will also be fundraising pushes during the festival with ways to donate money, calls for action by artists and a section of the festival where people can donate essential goods to aid tornado victims.
“The local artist community was heavily impacted,” he said. “We're hoping that weekend is a moment of celebration and healing.”
