is dedicated to bringing the arts of schools and communities through programs that increase public awareness of African American contributions to American culture.
The House of Blues grew out of founder Isaac Tigrett's
love for the unique
American art form known as the "the Blues". Weaned on
this music during
his early childhood in Tennessee, one of Isaac's goals
was to introduce the
world to the music of the rural south, including the Blues,
Rhythm and Blues,
Gospel, Jazz and Roots-abed Rock & Roll.
The very first House of Blues opened its doors in a
converted historical house
in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1992 and is home to live music,
original folk art, and delta-inspired cuisine.
The House of Blues is dedicated to educating and celebrating
the history of
Southern Culture and African American artistic contributions
to music and art.
Our mission is to create:
A profitable, principled global entertainment company.
To celebrate the diversity and brotherhood of world
culture.
To promote racial and spiritual harmony through
love, peace, truth,
righteousness and non-violence.
The House of Blues commitment to serving the
community will always be a
priority. From feeding the homeless on
Thanksgiving Day before opening to
the public to its grass-roots efforts to find
and support local artists,
the House of Blues is more than a place for music
and food.
Steeped in tradition of the South, many of the
artifacts and items
represented in the House of Blues have historical
significance.
Our "Crazy Quilt" stage curtains pay respect to the
enslaved
Africans who used the Underground Railroad as a
passage to freedom.
The "Jacob's Ladder" pattern is an example of this.
These curtains that cover every stage at our venues
have been
constructed in a free-form-abstract arrangement
and took over one
thousand hours to complete.
Under every stage in the House of Blues is a metal
box filled
with Delta Mississippi mud. This box is welded
to the structure on
the stage to ensure that every artist has the
roots and the spirit
of the South planted beneath their feet.
Our art collection is almost entirely comprised of
Folk, Outsider,
and Self-Taught artwork and we refer to this
style as the "Visual Blues."
Currently, the House of Blues is the largest
curator of Outsider Art
in the world.
Juke Joints are a major inspiration for the
House of Blues
look and feel. Many southern juke joints are
full of hand painted
signs and decor: eclectic collections of art,
posters, furniture,
wall murals, and other sorts of decoration.
By embracing the community through the arts, the
House of Blues
extended its efforts by creating the International
House of Blues
Foundation.
The International House of Blues Foundation (IHOBF)
is dedicated
to bringing the arts to schools and communities
through programs that
increase public awareness of African American
contributions to
American culture.
Foundation programs explore the history, art and
music of the
blues and demonstrate the vast influence of the
blues on contemporary
music and culture. Programs draw upon the universal
language of music
and art to encourage creative expression and cultural
understanding.
The International House of Blues Foundation brings
together people
of diverse backgrounds in an atmosphere that
encourages mutual respect
and understanding. The International House of
Blues Foundation (IHOBF)
is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit public charitable
organization.
