Hey Nonny receives grant to support its Women's Jazz Festival

Arlington Heights venue Hey Nonny announced today that it will receive a $30,000 Music in Action grant from the Live Music Society. The grant is to be used to support the Hey Nonny Women's Jazz Festival slated for January 2024.

"We're absolutely blown away to receive this grant for what will be just our second Women's Jazz Festival," said Hey Nonny co-owner Chip Brooks. "Our inaugural event last year exceeded our expectations, and this grant will allow us to add an extra night to the festival and bring in even more incredible musicians."

The Live Music Society's mission is to recognize and protect small venues and listening rooms across the United States so that live music can remain accessible to all. The Music in Action grant process follows stringent guidelines and is designed to support music venues that seat 50 to 300 patrons, host music at least 50 nights a year, and are committed specifically to live music.

The 2024 Women's Jazz Festival will take place January 4-7.

The 2023 festival, the first of its kind in the Midwest, generated great crowds and performances that Brooks said attendees really latched on to.

"The crowds were really enthusiastic and were treated to three days of knock-out jazz music."

In addition to local and national performers, the festival also included a panel discussion on women in the American jazz genre.

"Part of the grant criteria is to bring music to new audiences and address underserved communities," Brooks said. "I think the Women's Jazz Festival is a great way to highlight performers who may not get the recognition they deserve. This grant will provide us the funds to further that cause."

Hey Nonny also plans to add master classes and student concert events for the 2024 Women's Jazz Festival.

Ticket information for the 2024 Women's Jazz Festival will be released this fall at www.heynonny.com.

Hey Nonny is a bistro and music venue located in the heart of downtown Arlington Heights. The bistro, helmed by Chef Noe, serves an array of fresh seasonal Midwestern comfort-food-with-a-twist and a seasonally changing menu. The music venue is one of the best new "listening rooms" in the country, and hosts live music six days a week, featuring the best Chicago and touring acts playing jazz, blues, country, folk, and rock.