ABOUT
A festival where jazz moves through music, art, writing, and community
JAWS Fest connects people to the cultural impact of jazz through live performance, visual art, literature, and education. It is a creative gathering place where history, expression, and public culture meet in Mobile, Alabama.
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, writers, visual artists, and community members in a way that feels both educational and alive.
Through performances, exhibitions, youth programs, and interdisciplinary collaboration, JAWS Fest gives people multiple ways to experience jazz beyond the stage.
It is not just about preserving the past. It is about keeping jazz visible, public, and creatively relevant now.
Why people care
JAWS Fest gives Mobile something more than another event. It creates a cultural touchpoint that honors the city’s heritage while making room for fresh voices, new audiences, and creative risk.
That matters for community pride, artist visibility, youth engagement, and the continued growth of arts and culture across the Gulf Coast.
Festivals people remember feel different. JAWS Fest is building that kind of identity.
A festival shaped by culture and collaboration
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.
Our Nonprofit Mission
Jazz Art Writers South – JAWS Fest is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit advancing the cultural impact of jazz throughout the Greater Alabama Gulf Coast.
Through your support, we present live performances, youth arts initiatives, and interdisciplinary collaborations connecting musicians, writers, and visual artists in partnership with the University of South Alabama Art Galleries and campus partners.
Your investment ensures this vital cultural work continues to grow, inspire, and reach the next generation.
June 2025 - JAWS Fest on Wooisms Podcast
JAWS NEWS
BOARD MEMBERS
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Willie Dinish III
FESTIVAL CO-DIRECTOR & CO-CREATOR
Owner & Managing Partner of The Black Ink Coalition
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Paula L. Webb
FESTIVAL CO-DIRECTOR & CO-CREATOR
Outreach & Communications Librarian - USA Libraries Art Galleries
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Vernet C. Nettles
JAWS LETTERS & SONGS EVENT MANAGER
Owner, VCNettles Inspirations and Letters
PAST FESTIVALS
Check out some highlights JAWS Fest in previous years. More content can be found on our Youtube page.
JAWS Fest 2023
“A Tribute to Wayne Shorter”
JAWS Fest 2024
“The Future of Jazz”
JAWS Fest 2022
Opening Ceremony & Author Readings