Success Stories

Forecastle’s primary goal is to bring people together from across the Midwest to share in common experiences and collective destiny. Of the hundreds of connections made, the following are some that stand above the fray, epitomizing the Forecastle mission.

Music

  • In March of 2008, Forecastle friend and sponsor JanSport launched a nationwide “Battle of the Bands” competition. Over 1250 bands submitted, with the top band awarded an all-expense trip to perform at both Forecastle 2009 and the “Halfway to Forecastle” concert in January. Bloomington’s The Broderick won, and has since gone on to be one of the most talked about regional indie acts, with priase from My Old Kentucky Blog, LEO Weekly, and many more.
  • Giving bands the opportunity to interact with new fans, media, industry contacts, and like-minded musicians that can help further their career. Louisville’s “Jamili Brown” is an example of such an artist. After being chosen among (600) submissions, the band has gone onto perform at numerous showcases and festival appearances, including CMJ Music Marathon and SXSW.

Art

  • In 2008, twelve Midwest universities participated in a regional student art competition. The top (30) artists were invited to showcase their work at the 7th annual Forecastle Festival, and entered into an awards program where the top (3) artists would receive compensation and recognition for their work in 2-D, 3-D, and mixed media. Patrick Collins of Cincinnati, OH, was one of the selected artists. He has since moved on to showcase at several prestigious galleries in Indiana and Ohio, and received further opportunities in other markets.

Activism

  • Through a partnership with the Salvation Army Center of Hope Culinary Training Program, proceeds from food sales have funded scholarships for low-income men and women enrolled in the program. In addition, they earn an hourly wage with hands-on food prep and cooking experience while taking orders and serving festival attendees.
  • In 2009, the family-owned honeybee farm owned by Joyce “Granny” Branscum was facing foreclosure. Forecastle Captain JK McKnight invited them to participate in the event, to get the word out about the devastating decline of both family-owned farms and the world honeybee population. Over the course of three days, Joyce and her family raised enough money to not only keep the family buisness running, but they signed a distribution deal with local natural foods retailer (and Forecastle sponsor) Rainbow Blossom. In their own words:

    “We would like to let you know how grateful we are to have had the opportunity to participate in the Forecastle Festival this summer. We were so amazed that so many people were sincerely interested in the plight of the Honeybees and their importance in the ecosystem. Festival attendees were amazed to watch the live bees, discuss them, ask questions, and learn. Perhaps the most important aspect of all is the number of people who learned something by our presence at Forecastle and who now are aware of just how vital honeybees are to our world, and the many things we can all do to help.

    We realize now even more the importance of environmentalism and how vital “spreading the word” is. The Forecastle concept deserves an “A+”. It was a totally awesome experience! Thank you!”
  • Furthering the environmental mission of their brand, Forecastle sponsor Finlandia hosted a promotion inside the activism portion of the 2008 event. The winner, “Bicycling for Louisville”, received a $500.00 donation which they used to promote bicycling safety in greater Louisville and southern Indiana.

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