Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas – JAMBALOO, the nonprofit music initiative backed by Mullen & Mullen Injury Law, announced its flagship programs for 2027 on Sept. 22. The organization will host the JAMBALOO Free Week Festival from Feb. 11‑21, featuring more than 60 independent artists performing at over 15 venues across the DFW Metroplex at no cost to audiences.
Free Week Festival brings music to neighborhoods
Unlike a single‑site festival, Free Week spreads performances throughout independent clubs, bars and community spaces in both Dallas and Fort Worth. Attendees can explore a wide range of styles – from indie rock and electronic beats to hip‑hop, punk, Americana, soul and more. The full lineup, venue list and schedule will be released in December.
Music Prize seeks the best local album
Submissions for the 2027 JAMBALOO Music Prize open today at jambaloo.live. The competition honors the best full‑length album by a Dallas‑Fort Worth artist, awarding the winner $20,000 plus recording, promotional and industry support. There is no entry fee. Finalists will perform and the winner will be announced live on Saturday, June 5, at the historic Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas.
Impact on the local music ecosystem
JAMBALOO co‑founder and attorney Joe Morrison said, “Dallas‑Fort Worth has extraordinary artists and venues, but talent and hard work alone do not guarantee that an album will be heard or that an independent stage will remain open. The Festival brings audiences into the venues where music communities grow, while the Music Prize gives a local artist meaningful resources to keep creating. Together, these programs invest in the people and places that make North Texas music special.”
The 2026 Free Week Festival attracted 8,200 attendees – a 43% increase from the prior year – expanded from four to 15 venues, and generated an estimated $5 million in economic impact. More than $30,000 was raised for local arts and nonprofit partners.
Recent winners and program growth
Fort Worth singer‑songwriter Matthew McNeal won the inaugural Music Prize in 2026 for his album HIGHLONESOME, receiving the $20,000 award and a recording session at Luminous Sound with Grammy‑winning producer Tre Nagella, plus airplay on KXT 91.7 and support from Josey Records. The award ceremony at the Longhorn Ballroom was headlined by Dallas native Marc Rebillet.
Since its founding in 2025, JAMBALOO has expanded beyond the two signature programs. It has provided $20,000 to keep an independent venue open, invested in arts education and musicians’ mental‑health resources, and earned the 2025 Obelisk Award for Best New Arts Initiative. This summer the organization launched JAMBALOO.live, an online music magazine aimed at showcasing North Texas talent.
How to get involved
Artists interested in the Music Prize should submit their full‑length album via the JAMBALOO website by the September 22 deadline. Community members can follow updates on the Free Week Festival and Music Prize at jambaloo.live and look for announcements of the venue roster and performance schedule later this year.
Original reporting: Fort Worth Report — read the source article.
