The Challenge:
Keeping the Music Going
Between limited budgets and opinionated boards of directors, nonprofit organizations must be intentional about everything they do. Freshly formed and charged with resuscitating a beloved community event, the nonprofit behind the Erie Blues and Jazz Festival had an additional challenge to contend with — time.
In a matter of months, festival organizers needed to lock down sponsorships, pull together volunteers, secure donations, and promote lineups. It was understood that a new website would be instrumental toward achieving those goals.
The Epic Web Studios design and development team needed to make sure that the Erie Blues and Jazz website accounted for:
- Administrator inexperience -Â Website admins with minimal experience with content management systems should be able to update festival information easily.
- Online donations -Â The absence of a secure electronic payment integration was depriving Erie Blues & Jazz of a more consistent funding stream.
- Sponsor and volunteer recruitment -Â The civic and cultural value of the event had to be communicated effectively to encourage participation.
- Respect for the event’s legacy - Showcase a vibrant design and a more modern user experience, while capturing the event’s commitment to community and inclusivity.
The Solution
Playing to the Crowd
The Epic team crafted a website experience to simultaneously generate excitement among the public while empowering the Erie Blues and Jazz nonprofit with more resources to carry out its mission.
Custom Artist and Lineup Modules
Allowed festival organizers to easily manage evolving performance schedules on the back end, while presenting artist profiles attractively on the front end.
Donately Integration
A custom donation form was set up to allow for secure processing of one-time and recurring payments.
Bold, Colorful Design
Encapsulating the diversity and vibrancy of the performers, artists, and community that are the soul of the Erie Blues and Jazz Fest.
Get Involved Hub Page
Clearly presented signup information and perks to prospective volunteers, vendors, and sponsors.
The Result:
Participation Picks Up Tempo
The reimagined Erie Blues and Jazz Festival website has proven a fantastic complementary piece to the organization's overall efforts, promoting excitement among the general public while also courting increased involvement from donors, sponsors, and volunteers.
- 265% increase in online donations year-over-year (2024 vs. 2025)
- 100+ volunteer signup form submissions
- $30,000+ raised in 2025 through all promotional channels
- 8,000+ in attendance in 2025
Erie Blues and Jazz Festival">
Our friends at Epic Web Studios have been stalwart supporters of the Festival over the last two years, providing essential technical support skills and website development knowledge to our all-volunteer Board. The Festival's online presence and message can't get to you without Epic Web Studios!
