Dreamfest Music, Art & Culture Festival will be held for the first time this weekend and Martinez White, founder and CEO of the hosting Intuition Productions, is set on a long and fruitful future for Dreamfest starting with this Saturday, Aug. 12, noon-5 p.m. at Madison College – Goodman South Campus.
The festival looks to offer the community a diverse range of workshops, entertainment, and cultural experiences and will offer opportunities for attendees to get involved and learn about areas such as finance, mental health, professional development, and philanthropy.
The idea for Dreamfest came from the extension of a Dream Conclave that White had held in February of 2021. White had just finished writing a book and wanted to bring together other people from across the world who were working to develop and share ideas, knowledge, and connections around Black culture.
“We’re still looking at the same four pillars today as we were then. That graduated from the Dream Conclave to the Dreamfest where it’s more of a music festival. We’re focused on the same four pillars of family, focus, finance, and philanthropy,” White told Madison365, adding that there would be discussion and activities around subjects like mindfulness and meditation, parenting, and homeownership.
“The philanthropy is the $50,000 we’re raising for ConnectRx and the Saving Our Babies initiative here in Dane County. Our job is to raise $50,000 over the course of five hours to get people interested in supporting Black maternal and child health, saving our babies and impacting the infant mortality rate around Black babies and Black mothers.”
ConnectRx recently celebrated its one-year anniversary and has been very successful in providing Black mothers and babies with support. In sharing that goal, Dreamfest will also have a diaper drive and will be accepting gently used baby clothes and items to directly support Black families.
Beyond the charitable aspect of the event, attendees will also be able to hear and connect with other people in the community through financial and lifestyle discussions on topics such as mindfulness, homeownership, and navigating the job market. 
The event will be happening with other events over the coming weekend as the buzz around South Madison continues. White was sure to give appreciation to Madison College for their outreach efforts in the area, while assuring that events like Dreamfest are part of claiming space and finding opportunities to take advantage of the surrounding resources.
“For me, it’s about uplifting Black excellence and celebrating diversity,” said White. “Not just tolerating diversity; really celebrating it. There are people who understand the concept of diversifying your portfolio to get a higher return on investment. We need to diversify our life just as much as we do our financial portfolio, so we can get a better return in our community, our surrounding areas in our state, and nationwide.”
In an effort to solidify Dreamfest as an event in its inaugural celebration and to provide an exciting opportunity to local community members, R&B star Sammie will also be here in Madison for the event highlighting the official Dreamfest 2023 Afterparty.
(Photo supplied)
White’s vision for Dreamfest hopes to see even stronger connections and partnerships between Black communities in Wisconsin. With Milwaukee and Madison being close enough for frequent collaboration across the arts and networking, White, a native of Milwaukee himself, is positive that pathways can be open that provide unlimited opportunity.
“Bridging the gap between Milwaukee and Madison is another key element,” White said in closing. “About 75% of our artists, performers, and power speakers are either from Milwaukee, live there now, or they have roots there. I know Madison and Milwaukee normally have this binary in terms of philosophy and culture, but we’re bridging the gap between Milwaukee and Madison and creating this Milwaukee-Madison pipeline for artists and other creatives and business professionals … people that are philanthropists and want to give back in a meaningful way.”
To learn more about Dreamfest, visit their Facebook page here.
