ABOUT

About JAWS Fest

A festival built to connect jazz, art, writing, and community

JAWS Fest exists to connect people to Mobile jazz and all things related to jazz through music, visual art, literature, and education. It is where history, creativity, and public culture meet.

What JAWS Fest stands for

The festival celebrates the rich cultural legacy of jazz while creating space for new creative expression. It brings together students, educators, musicians, professional artists, and community members in a public setting that feels both educational and alive.

Why people care

JAWS Fest gives Mobile something more than another event. It gives the city a cultural identity point. That matters for community pride, artist visibility, youth engagement, and tourism.

Our Story

The Jazz Art Writers South Festival was founded to bridge generations and artistic disciplines through jazz. What started as a cultural vision has grown into a festival that brings together music, visual art, writing, performance, and education under one identity.

JAWS Fest continues to grow through community partnerships, youth programming, featured artists, and public events that make Mobile’s jazz heritage visible, accessible, and relevant.

June 2025 - JAWS Fest on Wooisms Podcast

JAWS NEWS

BOARD MEMBERS

Willie Dinish III

FESTIVAL CO-DIECTOR & CO-CREATOR
Owner & Managing Partner of The Black Ink Coalition
Paula L. Webb

FESTIVAL CO-DIRECTOR & CO-CREATOR
Outreach & Communications Librarian - USA Libraries Art Galleries
Soynika Edwards-Bush

JAWS YOUTH PROJECT LEAD
Mohummad-Rafee Shakir

MUSIC LEAD
Lyza Rodriguez

TECHNOLOGY SEVICES