Blues to Green Springfield Jazz Festival
Jun 13, 2024 12:00 PM
Kristin Neville
Blues to Green Springfield Jazz Festival
Wife of the late famous jazz musician Charles Neville, Kristin was inspired by how he used music to heal from the systemic racism he faced as a Black man and to bring diverse people together in joy. Following his example, she decided to use her connections in the music world to bring arts access to underserved people and leverage the arts as a tool for social change. To explore and prepare to implement her vision, she obtained a master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2012. She used the entire program to research and develop ideas for Blues to Green. This included traveling to meet with nonprofit Executive Directors and writing research papers on engaging the public with climate change and biodiversity loss through music and cultural events, arts-based nonprofits engaging youth in social enterprise, and more. She then founded Blues to Green in 2013 and has designed and executed all programming since our first Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival in 2014. A member of Springfield’s Climate Change & Health Equity (CCHE) Committee, Kristin is well-connected and involved in Springfield arts and nonprofit work. She also plays the clarinet.