Bulleit Frontier Whiskey takes on Miami to celebrate the first year of the Bulleit Pioneer Project

NEW YORK, Dec. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Last night, Bulleit Frontier Whiskey celebrated the first year of The Bulleit Pioneer Project — its multi-year commitment to championing and amplifying those breaking new ground in culture. This anniversary event brought together pioneers across art, music, food, and drinks for a day of activities that culminated in a massive bash against the backdrop of Miami’s Art Basel.

The celebration unfolded in two parts: first, a day-long brand-building workshop for up-and-coming artists, marking the last chapter and completion of Bulleit’s 100-Hour Commitmen t– a year-long commitment to providing up-and-coming artists with 100 hours of mentorship from established talent thanks to Bulleit’s long-standing relationship with music and creator platform, UnitedMasters. The workshop was then capped off by a showcase event where visual artists and musicians took the spotlight, displaying the breadth of Bulleit’s commitment and year-long reach.

Clocking in 100 hours of mentorship

The day of festivities commenced with an end-to-end brand immersion experience designed to help up-and-coming musicians develop their personal brand. Expert mentors, including Cortez Bryant (talent manager and Co-CEO of The Blueprint Group), Melissa Newhart (Executive of Music Brand Partnerships at UTA), Darren Talud (Sr. Manager of Digital Content at Roc Nation), and Kah Li Haslam (Creative Strategist), offered their guidance in a series of bespoke mentorship sessions covering brand strategy, curation and creation of a visual identity and voice, marketing tactics, and more. During the day, mentees also took to the streets of Miami, guided by local artists such as Hassni Caina (Fashion Stylist and Designer) and P The Kid (Photographer), to jumpstart and craft personalized brand books, infusing individuality into each artist’s narrative.

The experience finished at night, with mentees taking to the stage at Bulleit’s celebratory event, showcasing their talents in live performances for a room buzzing with professional artists, press, and industry greats.

“The 100-Hour Commitment was established to provide foundational help to independent artists by addressing the real-world challenges they face, and we’re proud to say that’s exactly what we created here. Witnessing industry veterans come together to uplift and support artists whose careers are on the ascent has been nothing short of remarkable. It’s a testament to the power of community and mentorship, and we’re proud to have played a role in fostering the growth of the next generation of artists so they can push the boundaries of creativity.” Said John Rough, SVP, Head of Brand Partnerships at UnitedMasters.

“With independence becoming an industry norm, Bulleit has written the playbook for those looking to meaningfully engage with these creators.”

Celebrating music, art, and food

The night came alive at SVN Suite in Wynwood, the epicenter of street art and a hotspot for renowned artists from across the globe. Alongside the live performances by UnitedMasters mentees, visual artists Graph Atik, Peyton The Artist, and Ange Hillz displayed their latest artwork across the venue. This was the artists’ first time exhibiting their pieces during Miami Art Week’s activities, made possible thanks to Bulleit’s ongoing partnership with Actively Black, who is on a mission to continue highlighting Black talent that needs to be seen.

Bulleit also joined forces with African Chop House, a collective set out to celebrate African culture through food, music, and people, who curated a bespoke menu inspired by the different flavors and cultures that make up Miami, including Coconut Curry Chicken Bites, a Shrimp & Conch Ceviche, Kung Pao Mushrooms, and their world-famous Jollof Rice.

“Last year, we set out on the bold mission to celebrate those at the frontier of culture with the Bulleit Pioneer Project. From collaborating with spoken-word poet J. Ivy to reimagining what a bar could be through technology and delivering 100 hours of mentorship to emerging artists–I look back on this last year, and I’m proud to say we’ve done that.” Said Jesse Damashek, SVP of Whiskeys and Liqueurs at Diageo NA.

“Miami Art Week is the perfect time to cheer for what has been a fantastic year for culture, and I can’t help but get excited to continue celebrating more of these milestones for many years to come.”

Last night’s grand event showcased the immense talent Bulleit has worked with and amplified within the first year of the Pioneer Project. Aside from the 100-Hour Commitment, endeavors included The Remix Challenge– a search for gifted wordsmiths vying for a coveted mentoring session with the esteemed J. Ivy, and the unveiling of a compelling short film featuring his poignant spoken word composition entitled “A Toast To The Times,” the “New New York” celebration and award presentation in partnership with Tribeca Festival, and most recently Bulleit’s Limitless Lounge, a multi-sensory bar experience in Los Angeles.

This is Bulleit’s first annual end-of-year celebration of The Pioneer Project, marking the brand’s renewed commitment to championing and amplifying those at the forefront of culture year after year.

All guests in attendance were encouraged to drink responsibly. The producers of Bulleit Frontier Whiskey and The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (FAAR) support responsible decision-making.

About Bulleit Frontier Whiskey

Bulleit, founded in 1987, is one of the fastest-growing whiskeys in America. The brand attributes that growth to bartenders and cultural partners who have adopted it as their own. The Bulleit Frontier Whiskey portfolio is distilled and aged in the Bulleit family tradition, using a distinctive high rye recipe, which gives them a bold, spicy, yet distinctively smooth taste. The award-winning Kentucky whiskey most recently won a Double Gold medal for Bulleit 10-Year Old and Gold Medals for Bulleit Bourbon and Bulleit Rye at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. In 2017, Bulleit celebrated its 30th anniversary with the opening of a new, state-of-the-art distillery located in Shelbyville, KY. Constructed with a focus on sustainable practices including natural habitat protection, water conservation and local ingredient sourcing, BDC received the Highly Commended award for Sustainable Distillery of the Year at the 2020 Icons of Whisky Awards from Whisky Magazine. In 2019, a Visitor’s Centre at the Bulleit Distilling Co. in Shelbyville opened to share our modern, technological and sustainable approach to making great whiskey. In 2021, Diageo opened its first carbon-neutral whiskey distillery in Lebanon, KY with Bulleit being the first and leading brand being produced at the site. supplementing existing production at the Bulleit Distilling Co. For more information, visit www.bulleit.com or follow @Bulleit on Instagram.

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan’s whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and their products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, their people, brands, and performance, visit www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

Follow on Twitter and Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.

About UnitedMasters

Launched in 2017 by Translation founder and music industry veteran Steve Stoute, UnitedMasters provides a new industry alternative for over 1.9 million independent artists. UnitedMasters gives artists access to premium music distribution services, a suite of tools to help them directly connect with fans, and opportunities for unique partnerships with some of the world’s biggest brands. The UnitedMasters platform enables artists to operationalize their independence and maximize their creative and economic potential while allowing them to maintain full ownership over their master recording rights.

About the African Chop House

African Chop House was founded in 2017 as a celebration of African culture through good food, music and community. It has traveled globally from Brooklyn, LA, Chicago, South Africa, Ghana and annually during Art Week in Miami. Inclusive of the Afro Latin diaspora, we tell our stories through the foods that connect our diverse cultures.

About Actively Black

Actively Black is an apparel brand created in 2020 by Former NBA player Lanny Smith. Our mission is to uplift and re-invest back into the Black community and improve our people’s access to mental health, healthy food, social justice, and physical fitness resources. We are not just building an apparel brand. The clothes are just the uniform for the movement.