Atiba Jefferson Named Vans “Brand Curator”

Apr 9 24 under Friends, Heritage, History, NEWS | Leave a comment

When we found out that Vans had chosen Atiba Jefferson as a Brand Curator, we felt as if the skies had opened up to the heavens above.  This is that big of a deal to us, as you can tell by this personal write-up.  I couldn’t think of a better choice for this role of curating collaborations, connecting people, and guiding Vans’ progression in this new era of change.  He’s been around the culture for longer than most of you kids.  The culture, meaning all of it.  Skate, streetwear, music, fashion in general, and there’s no better resume than having first-hand experience.  I’m hoping he finds a way to connect us “old heads” to the newer generation, through dope story telling, and relevant collaborations.  We’re looking forward to this, and we couldn’t be more stoked on the news (that’s obviously about a month old now lol, sorry!)

31 Days of Vans 2022 Is Almost Upon Us! #31daysofvans

Jun 28 22 under 31 Days of Vans, Events, Friends, Heritage, History, OTWS, UTP, Waffleheads, WDYWT | 72 Comments

 

It’s almost July, and you know what that means! Who’s ready for this year’s 31 Days of Vans celebration? We are.  It’s exciting to look back at what our core Vans sneaker community has accomplished throughout the years, and the #31daysofvans social media campaign has really grown into it’s own little monster, complete with some amazing support from Vans, and specifically the Vans Family team. We have these folks to thank for last year’s Vans Family app exclusive release of the Red Half Cab, so we wanted to give them a special shout-out.

Well, we’re back at it again for Summer 2022, and we’ve been blessed with another cool Vans Family exclusive in celebration, (even though not quite specific) to “31 Days of Vans”. Now, if you’ve been paying attention to certain social media accounts, you may have seen this year’s shoe already. Vans is celebrating Tony Alva’s history with them, and have created a pretty dope, skate team inspired Authentic 44 DX. There’s also a matching long-sleeve graphic tee, so be on the lookout for these to drop sometime during the month of July!

I also can’t fail to mention this sick graphic, designed by our homie Kyle @iamrocketkyle & @poprocketcreations !  He always knocks these out of the park, and you will definitely see this being shared up on the Vans Family app again this year!!!  That’s what’s up!

We can’t wait to see what everyone shows off this year, but just remember to Wear Vans, and Be Authentic!

Vans Celebrates Grand Prize Winner and Runner Up Finalists in High School Custom Culture Competition

May 23 22 under Art, Contests, Customs, Heritage, NEWS | Comments Off on Vans Celebrates Grand Prize Winner and Runner Up Finalists in High School Custom Culture Competition

Moanalua High School has won $50,000 for their high school’s art program in the 13th annual Vans High School Custom Culture competition

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Vans is thrilled to announce Moanalua High School as the winner of the 13th annual Vans Custom Culture competition and honoree of $50,000 for their school’s art program. The remaining four finalists, Central High School, Avella Jr. Sr. High School, Sisters High School, and Wrangell High School will also receive limited-edition Vans gifts and $15,000 to support their school art programs.

New this year, each of the top five schools will receive an artist mentorship lesson from one of Vans’ art ambassadors: Tony Whlgn, Sydney G. James, Jay Howell, Todd Francis, Mich Miller, Kelly Breez, Camilo Medina, Noah Humes, O.J. Hays, Tony Whlgn, Sara Yukiko Mon, and David Heo.

 
Finalists

Moanalua High School – Honolulu, HI

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Wrangell High School – Wrangell, AK

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Sisters High School – Sisters, OR

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Avella Jr. Sr. High School – Avella, PA

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Central High School – Knoxville, TN

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To celebrate this incredible moment, students at Moanalua High School received a surprise party on their high school campus, including a special guest appearance from singer-songwriter Bishop Briggs to celebrate at the school’s campus.

“Moanalua’s graduation was this week. Knowing that I ended my senior year with this win… I’m really happy and I wanted to cry happy tears,” said Jaidalyn Kamaunu, a senior at Moanalua. “We worked nearly every day after school for about one to two hours a day. There were days on the weekends, we would dedicate a whole entire seven-hour workday just to work on the shoes,” noted another Moanalua student, 11th grader Dianne Cabico.

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Thank you to our partners for empowering this competition, including Yoobi, Vans’ exclusive art supplies partner who provided gift cards to all the participating schools for them to purchase much-needed art supplies, Scholarship America for community-based scholarship programs, and Journeys, who awarded all participating students a gift card to their store in recognition of their accomplishments.

Vans Custom Culture has reached hundreds of thousands of students, continuing to show how impactful art programs are by donating over $1,110,000 USD back to high school art programs to date. Please visit Vans Custom Culture to learn how to register your school next year or follow us on social at @VansCustomCulture for design inspiration and how-to lessons from Vans art ambassadors.

pics after the jump

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Vans Uplifts Voices Around Cause and Community Through “These Projects Are Ads For Creativity”

Feb 17 22 under Heritage, History, NEWS | Comments Off on Vans Uplifts Voices Around Cause and Community Through “These Projects Are Ads For Creativity”

Vans, the global icon of creative expression, is proud to enable a family of artists, creators, and originators to share their unique perspectives, creative process, and passion for the cause in this year’s artist-first brand campaign “These Projects Are Ads for Creativity.” Instead of employing a traditional ad campaign, Vans commissioned artists to go out into the world and bring their projects to life—from music videos and access to skateboarding to sculptures, paintings, and more.

In 2021, “These Projects Are Ads for Creativity” empowered over 60 global artists to present their projects to the world in honor of all the vast forms of art and the role it plays in our daily lives. This year, the campaign celebrates the diversity of creativity itself and honors the talented individuals behind the work. Featured ambassadors and projects show how creativity is used to celebrate purpose and uplift communities. Vans fans will take a deeper dive into artist inspiration, intention, and how creative expression can be used to shape reality. Today, Vans launches the first two installments of “These Projects Are Ads for Creativity” to uplift Black voices and communities.

“Since our inception, Vans has always been driven forward by creative culture. We found our place listening to skateboarders, musicians, and artists, to let them show us what creativity looks like from their vantage point,” said Carly Gomez, VP of Marketing, Vans Americas. “We believe creativity allows you to build what comes next – it’s a vehicle to channel your ideas into tangible forms of expression, experimentation, and meaningful moments.”

Follow Brooklyn-based nonprofit STOKED on its mission to help bridge education and opportunity gaps for underserved youth. They work with schools, organizations, and mentors to host after-school activities centered around sports culture, confidence building, and community bonding. They hosted a workshop to paint and assemble skateboards for the local community for this project.

Next up, RadKey is a groundbreaking American punk rock band from St. Joseph, Missouri, formed by three brothers: Isaiah, Solomon, and Dee Radke. They’ve worked alongside artists like Jack White and The Offspring and have toured a multitude of shows and festivals across the globe. For this project, they created a music video for their song P.A.W. where they look to challenge racial and social discrimination, shift perspectives, and spark a conversation.

Throughout the year, Vans will continue to uplift diverse creators and introduce new artists and partners to share their passion for cause and community. Stay tuned for a behind-the-scenes look at projects from The Linda Lindas, Serpentwithfeet, Surf Ghana, and more. Unveiled as a digital capstone of creativity, all of these art projects will come to life on Vans.com/OffTheWall throughout the year as an inspiring journey of discovery.

Explore the full campaign at Vans.com/OffTheWall, and join the conversation with Vans on social media by using #OffTheWall to share your own creativity story. 

Vans and STOKED Celebrate Ten Years of Partnership With New Community-Focused Initiatives

Jan 12 22 under Articles, Collaborations, Heritage | Comments Off on Vans and STOKED Celebrate Ten Years of Partnership With New Community-Focused Initiatives

Over the course of the last decade, Vans has worked with STOKED to introduce underserved BIPOC youth to the activities, lifestyle and career opportunities provided by action sports, and the partnership will expand even further in 2022.

Founded by entrepreneur Steve Larosiliere and action sports personality Selema Masekela, STOKED is a community-focused nonprofit that combines one-on-one mentorship with the joy (and adrenaline) of action sports to help underserved BIPOC youth realize their potential. Vans is a longtime supporter of STOKED’s message of inclusion and community-first methods, serving as a proud partner and supporter of the organization for over 10 years. In 2022, the Vans x STOKED partnership will expand even further.

Based in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, STOKED has worked with over 6,000 kids and 4,000 mentors since its founding, using action sports like skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfing as “safe spaces” for learning and personal growth. Kids who go through a STOKED program learn more than how to kickflip or catch a wave — they’re taught career skills, life lessons, and the importance of staying active as well.

The latest chapter in Vans’ partnership with STOKED aims to achieve two main goals: growing BIPOC participation and representation in action sports and providing STOKED participants with access, resources, and educational programming. To achieve these goals, Vans is sponsoring skate activations at STOKED’s NYC and Chicago sites, supporting STOKED’s after-school leadership development programs and weekend skateboarding/snowboarding/surfing programs, and encouraging its employees to serve as STOKED mentors through a dynamic “Career Pipeline” program that shows STOKED youth some of the career possibilities in the action sports world.

Almost 30 Vans employees have already signed on to the “Career Pipeline” program, and Vans athletes have lent their support to STOKED as well — pro snowboarder Patrick Moore is a lead STOKED ambassador who’s recruited other Vans Snow team members like Jill Perkins, Bryan Iguchi, and Hana Beaman, which helped STOKED raise an additional $100K through its yearly fundraising campaign in 2021. STOKED also supports Vans by leading DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) efforts with Vans staff and the greater action sports industry through employee and athlete workshops. 

To learn more about STOKED, head to stoked.org.

More than 18,000 Fans Across the World Celebrate #VansCheckerboardDay as Vans Donates Over $1M to Help Revitalize Local Communities

Dec 15 21 under Art, Events, Heritage, History, NEWS | Comments Off on More than 18,000 Fans Across the World Celebrate #VansCheckerboardDay as Vans Donates Over $1M to Help Revitalize Local Communities

Today, Vans, the original action sports brand and advocate for creative expression is proud to announce that with the help of over 20 non-profit partners, the brand was able to commemorate the third-annual Vans Checkerboard Day on November 18 by encouraging more than 18,000 fans to leverage creative self-expression to better our communities around the world through events and activities across art, action sports, music, and film.  

Some of the regional activations included: 

  • Colectivo Tomate worked with the Mexico City community to transform a skatepark, keeping the local skateboarding scene. The community also created a mural painting while enjoying art workshops and skateboarding showcases.  
  • Sustainable Coastlines created an interactive art piece about plastic pollution with the community at Waikiki Beach, Hawaii while completing a beach cleanup. ​ 
  • Groundswell met at Middle School 664 in Brooklyn to create a mural and host a printmaking activation for kids and the local community.  
  • JUJU and Surf Ghana hosted a variety of activations at Besua Beach in Ghana. Activities included a beach clean-up, free surf lessons, an art performance, film screening and custom culture workshop. 
  • The Indigo Youth Movement brought together the Cape Town, South Africa community to complete a mural painting, participate in gardening and host a tie-dye workshop and kids skate lesson with the Vans team. 
  • Hackney Bumps hosted an event at the new skate obstacle created by Concrete Commanders Betong Park and inspired by designs skaters in the community had submitted leading up to Vans Checkerboard Day. The event also included graffiti painting, giveaways, and a design submission showcase. 
  • Girls in Film hosted its own mini film festival welcoming the community in London to meet fellow filmmakers and skateboarders including community screenings, industry discussions and a networking party. 

To further this mission to drive positive change, more than $1 million was donated by Vans and The Vans Checkerboard Fund at Tides Foundation, to 15 regional charities and global partner DoSomething.org to support the mission of revitalizing communities around the world.  

“Now almost two years into a global pandemic, community connectivity and public spaces have been in direct need of support,” says Doug Palladini, Vans Global Brand President. “As a brand that champions the power of creativity, it was important for us to utilize our third annual Vans Checkerboard Day as not just our biggest philanthropic moment of the year but to proactively take action through creative endeavors that drive positive change all around us. Whether fans participated in regional events, the TikTok challenge or showed support for the movement by wearing the Checkerboard pattern, each individual reinforced that we stand for something that makes the world a better place.” 

This year’s global partners were GoodPush, Groundswell, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, Colectivo Tomate, Nations Skate Youth, Dignity for Children, Another Way of Seeing, ArtDream, Skateboard Academy, Hackney Bumps, Juju Surf Club, Indigo Youth Movement, Girls in Film, Jukebox Collective and The Hub. Each of the 15 regional partners received $50,000 USD from The Vans Checkerboard Fund at Tides Foundation or via a direct donation from Vans to continue their impact. Vans also donated $250,000 to its global partner DoSomething.org, with $25,000 going toward scholarships.  

Vans Fans donated a total of 5 million of their own Vans Family points through the Vans app to raise an additional $25,000 for DoSomething.org scholarships and shared how they sported their checkerboard and supported their community on November 18 through the #VansCheckerboardDay challenge on TikTok which garnered over 11 billion video views. 

Since the inception of Vans Checkerboard Day in 2019, Vans has donated more than $3 million to creative charities globally, enabling creative expression in communities around the world. Vans believes that creativity is an essential part of being human and that everyone should be able to express themselves through the unique mediums that come from action sports, art, music and street culture. The Vans Checkerboard Fund at Tides Foundation was established to support Vans’ ability to provide monetary support to nonprofit organizations that provide the skills, support and opportunities needed to build a more equitable society where all have the opportunity to realize their creative potential. Organizations can visit www.vans.com/checkerboardday to learn more.

House of Vans: If These Walls Could Talk (Vans Family Exclusive!)

Nov 3 21 under Accessories, Art, Bands, Events, Heritage, History, House of Vans | Comments Off on House of Vans: If These Walls Could Talk (Vans Family Exclusive!)

DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.

THE HOUSE OF VANS IS WHERE “OFF THE WALL” LIVES. This book celebrates the first ten years of the global phenomenon. Packed with hundreds of images and stories capturing the unforgettable moments fans experienced skating the skate parks, seeing legendary shows on stage and so much more. These pages will make you feel like you’ve walked into a House of Vans and get you stoked to make new memories of your own at House of Vans.

Only available to Vans Family members, get your copy now and see some of the best moments (so far) of the home to the creativity that moves us.

Vans Champions Community & Creativity on 3rd Annual Vans Checkerboard Day (11.18.21)

Oct 19 21 under Events, Heritage, History, NEWS, Waffleheads | Comments Off on Vans Champions Community & Creativity on 3rd Annual Vans Checkerboard Day (11.18.21)

 

Vans, the original action sports brand and advocate for creative expression, is bringing the Vans Family together to rebuild and revitalize communities across the world in honor of Vans Checkerboard Day on November 18, 2021. This year, Vans will partner with DoSomething.org, global non-profit whose core competency is driving young people to take action at scale, to invite fans to participate in local and digital activations that help build vibrant, inclusive and rejuvenated public spaces through arts and culture.

“Research shows that art and creative expression are not only proven to benefit an individual’s academic, physical and mental well-being, but uplift and improve entire communities, especially when shared in public spaces,” says Doug Palladini, Vans Global Brand President. “Many of our local community and public spaces have been somewhat neglected since March 2020. As a champion for the power of creativity, we’re encouraging Vans fans to join us this Vans Checkerboard Day in being a part of activities and initiatives that showcase how creativity truly revitalizes our communities.”

As the brand’s single largest philanthropic initiative, Vans will support 16 charities from around the world who share a mission of revitalizing public spaces through arts, sports, culture and social impact programming by donating a collective $1 million USD. Each regional organization will receive $50,000 USD from The Vans Checkerboard Fund at Tides Foundation or via a direct donation from Vans to use towards their organization’s mission to continue their work around the world to build vibrant, inclusive, and welcoming spaces to support their local communities. Additionally, as the 2021 global partner, DoSomething.org will receive $250,000 USD as they continue to encourage young people to act in their communities, with $25,000 USD of this directly benefiting youth scholarships. This year’s recipients are: GoodPush, Groundswell, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, Colectivo Tomate, Nations Skate Youth, Dignity for Children, Another Way of Seeing, ArtDream, Skateboard Academy, Hackney Bumps, Juju Surf Club, Indigo Youth Movement, Girls in Film, Jukebox Collective and The Hub.

 

Vans Checkerboard Day 2021 will reinforce that Together Makes It Better by inviting fans to participate in local and digital activations that help build vibrant, inclusive and rejuvenated public spaces through arts and culture.

“Uplifting communities through the power of creativity is a value shared by Vans and DoSomething’s 5 million members,” said DeNora Getachew, Chief Executive Officer of DoSomething.org. “We’re excited to partner with Vans to activate DoSomething members to join with communities across the world for Vans Checkerboard Day. Their generous donation will provide young people with scholarships towards their college, university, or vocational program’s costs. It’ll also fuel DoSomething’s civic volunteerism hub through which young people take action on social issues important to themselves and their community.”

Leading up to November 18, Vans will rally global fans to participate in a variety of initiatives focused on getting involved in community action. Activations include:

  • Vans.com/checkerboardday will serve as a directory of action in partnership with DoSomething.org so fans can join community events in their local city or participate in a variety of digital activations.
  • The #VansCheckerboardDay TikTok Challenge will share inspiring community projects, ways to sport your checkerboard pattern and tips for joining in on the celebration featuring Vans ambassadors on what community revitalization and creativity means to them.
  • On top of the $1 million of support by Vans, fans across the world will also have the ability to support the 15 regional charities by helping to raise additional donations. They can do so through the Vans Family app by donating loyalty points in support for a monetary donation. 100 percent of proceeds will be donated to The Vans Checkerboard Fund at Tides Foundation.

Since the inception in 2019, Vans Checkerboard Day has helped raise more than $2 million for nonprofits across the world, supporting creativity, mental wellness, and community engagement. Vans Checkerboard Day is celebrated annually to bring the Vans ethos of celebrating creative expression to life globally, rallying internal stakeholders, the extended Vans family and global consumers to come together around the world to experience why creativity matters and fund charities focused on uplifting creativity.

Visit Vans.com/checkerboardday to discover local meetups in your area, ways to participate in virtual events and activations or learn more about the participating charities and donate. Fans can also follow Vans on social media to participate and follow #VansCheckerboardDay on TikTok to join in. 

Vans Presents: A Look Back: Dogtown And Z-Boys

Sep 28 21 under Heritage, History, Interviews, Pro, Skate, Videos | Comments Off on Vans Presents: A Look Back: Dogtown And Z-Boys

Vans is proud to present A Look Back: DogTown and Z-Boys, a retrospective of Stacy Peralta’s award-winning documentary that marks the film’s 20-year anniversary. Directed by Glen E. Friedman alongside filmmaker Eric Matthies, A Look Back: DogTown and Z-Boys revisits the documentary’s original cast to explore the film’s impact—not only on their lives, but on the culture of skateboarding.

Many original Z-Boys return to the screen for A Look Back, including Peralta, Peggy Oki, Wentzle Ruml, Skip Engblom, Paul Constantineau, Jim Muir and Tony Alva. A Santa Monica native and one of Vans first skate team riders, Alva’s name is forever linked to skateboarding’s origins. As a teenager in the ‘70s, he collaborated with Vans to create the brand’s first true “Off The Wall” shoe for skateboarding. More than four decades later, Alva’s story is just as powerful, immortalizing him as a revolutionary who turned Dogtown into skateboarding’s intrepid capital.

“The original film not only shed light on the foundation of modern skateboarding, it showed us the stories of those who made it happen,” Friedman said.  “Our film goes a bit deeper into what some of the participants thought of the film they stared in, and how it has since affected their and how it has since affected their lives and their brothers who have passed since its release 20 years ago.”

Friedman, who makes his directorial debut with A Look Back, is universally considered as one of the most prominent photographers of his generation, most well-known for his influential images of rebellious artists from skateboarding, punk and hip hop.  Ranging from the Beastie Boys, Run-D.M.C. and Ice-T, to Z-Boys Alva and Jay Adams, Friedman’s photographs cemented the importance of these radical subcultures at their beginnings.  His work is included in notable international collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Smithsonian Institution.  Eric Matthies, who co-produced the film, is known for his broadcast, cinema and multi-media projects, and has produced globally recognized documentaries that have garnered a PGA Award, Grammy nomination, NAACP Image Award nomination, LAFF Audience Choice award, Saturn award, and Social Justice Fund nomination. A Look Back: DogTown and Z-Boys premiered globally on September 23 at the 2021 Paris Surf & Skate Film Festival.

“The Zephyr crew had an enormous impact on my peers and I, not only as skaters, but as artists and filmmakers,” Matthies said. “This project was a great opportunity to give something back to our skate community.”

The original DogTown and Z-Boys documentary rose to critical acclaim after its release in 2001, led by director and original Zephyr skateboard team member Stacy Peralta, and was co-written by Craig R. Stecyk III and co-produced by Friedman. Chronicling the rise of skateboarding in backyard pools in 1970s’ Santa Monica and Venice, the original documentary drew on a compilation of vintage images and video clips combined with present-day interviews, encapsulating how the Z-Boys ultimately created a skateboarding subculture that defined a generation and influenced those to come. The original documentary won two awards at Sundance Film Festival and an Independent Spirit Award in 2001.

Vans Musicians Wanted Announces Global Concert Stream on September 22 Featuring Live Performances from Aspiring Talent in Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific Regions

Sep 8 21 under Bands, Contests, Heritage | Comments Off on Vans Musicians Wanted Announces Global Concert Stream on September 22 Featuring Live Performances from Aspiring Talent in Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific Regions

Vans®, the original action sports brand and global icon for creative self-expression, announces the official concert stream for the 2021 Vans Musicians Wanted competition, to be hosted on September 22. The global music competition welcomes finalists from around the world including the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific regions to perform for a global audience and for their opportunity to win Vans product, Kramer gear, global music distribution, and Spotify and Apple Music playlisting. Vans Musicians Wanted regional finalists will also have the chance to share the stage with tongue-in-cheek, genre-bending British rocker, YUNGBLUD!

Following the platform’s global competition debut last year, Vans Musicians Wanted received over 30,000 submissions in 2021, another incredible record-breaking milestone for the series! 

Fans can tune in on September 22 to witness the finale unfold as Vans Musicians Wanted judges Denzel Curry, Julia Michaels, Sean Miyashiro and YUNGBLUD announce the final winner on Vans.com/musicianswanted.

Join Vans as we congratulate the top-5 finalists advancing from each region. And learn more about each band and their music on Vans.com/musicianswanted.

From the AMERICAS region, the top five advancing finalists are a multi-faceted selection of musicians and bands passionately inspired by hip hop, R&B, rap, soul and synth-pop. 

AMERICAS Finalists

  • PYT (United States)
  • TheBe$tJR (United States)
  • Joy Sales (Brazil)
  • Mare Advertencia (Mexico)
  • Diamond Café (Canada)

The top five finalists from EMEA bring to the stage a mix of true-to-form psychedelic rock, electronic indie, deep-rhythmic soul, heavy blues hooks and jazzy instrumentals.

EMEA Finalists

  • Lemonade Shoelace (Northern Ireland)
  • Kenya Grace (England)
  • KY’ORiON (England)
  • Altered Myths (Wales)
  • p-i (France)

Hailing from the Asia-Pacific region, where the original Vans Musicians Wanted platform began, are a strong selection of soulful vocals and immersive melodic sounds that take inspiration from classic jazz, dream pop, electronic R&B, and psychedelic rock origins.

APAC Finalists

  • Q the trumpet (Korea)
  • Nathanie (Malaysia)
  • Yishun Panik (Singapore)
  • Squid The Kid (Australia)
  • Kinder Bloomen (Indonesia)

Vans Musicians Wanted is an inclusive global platform that enables creative self-expression through music and helps to provide a direct path for undiscovered artists to emerge and gain global exposure. Join Vans, Denzel Curry, Julia Michaels, Sean Miyashiro and YUNGBLUD as we announce the 2021 global winner of Vans Musicians wanted on September 22 beginning at 8PM EST on Vans.com/musicianswanted.

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