The EUROPEAN BLUES UNION (EBU) is an alliance of Blues professionals from all over Europe who have decided to join forces to promote this style by creating an European blues network.

To do so, the EBU organizes the European Blues Challenge, where bands from all the associated countries compete to win the title of best European band of the year and, as a prize, participate in the best European festivals. The EBU promotes the Blues Market, where all associate members can share experiences and find new formulas of cooperation. It also gives the Blues Behind The Scenes Awards that recognize the work of all those who enthusiastically work “behind the scenes” for blues music. The EBU also develops the Blues For Youth program that aims to bring young music students closer to the blues, granting scholars to attend the Little Stevens Blues School in Notodden (Norway) and the Pinetop Perkins Foundation Workshop in Clarksdale (USA). The organization also presents The Blues Expo, an itinerant photo exhibition that gathers images by outstanding photographers taken at the different European Blues Challenge editions.

Currently the European Blues Union has 24 associated European countries besides United States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Holland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

More information about the EBU at http://www.europeanbluesunion.com