Sophisticated Giving Spotlight: Jazz St. Louis

July 21, 2022 Grace Mikula

Sophisticated Details: Jazz St. Louis is a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization whose mission is to lead our community in advancing the uniquely American art of jazz through performance, education, and community engagement. JSL uses these three areas to build connections with cultures and people in our community. Each year, JSL presents an 18-show subscription series consisting of five nights of performances by nationally acclaimed artists. This year, we welcomed trumpeter Keyon Harrold as our first-ever Creative Advisor, thanks to funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Keyon’s three-year appointment will include numerous interactions with community members, musical performances, and culminate in a commissioned piece that reflects the city of St. Louis and its people. Including the subscription series, special performances, and locally led groups, Jazz St. Louis programs over 170 nights per year. Serving children from toddlers to teens, JSL’s Education Department extends beyond our traditional musician training into music appreciation for young audiences and groundbreaking music motor therapy. In addition to a performance and lecture series and a book club, JSL partners with other arts organizations to produce cross-genre programming that exposes new audiences to jazz.

Sophisticated Goals: After spending the last year in a capacity building program provided by the Regional Arts Commission (RAC), Jazz St. Louis created a new five-year artistic plan that encompasses a variety of special activities meant to fulfill the organization’s mission. In 2021, the launch of “The Next Set” radio show in partnership with St. Louis Public Radio and the appointment of Creative Advisor Keyon Harrold both kicked off with a bang. In 2022, Jazz St. Louis will focus on new efforts celebrating women in jazz, bringing music motor therapy to children in our region, and bridging the divide between jazz and new audiences. If you’re interested in partnering or financially supporting these projects, please contact Katy Robertson, Director of Development, at katy@jazzstl.org or 314.881.3085

Sophisticated Connections: With the performance series as the anchor and education programs at the heart of the organization, Jazz St. Louis seeks to preserve the past and foster the future of the jazz genre by re-establishing St. Louis as a destination for great jazz. Our purpose is to teach the cultural significance and historical importance of jazz alongside the music itself. Jazz St. Louis is one of very few organizations in the country that presents jazz, educates future audiences, and nurtures budding musicians. Additionally, Jazz St. Louis provides youth with transformative musical experiences. Over the last two decades, Jazz St. Louis has worked with approximately 100 area schools to engage more than 200,000 students through programs that expose young people to jazz and provide one-on-one training to student musicians throughout the community. Jazz St. Louis upholds values of service, inclusivity, and diversity. The organization's goal is to provide the community with the world's best in jazz entertainment, increase appreciation and participation for this great American art form, and cultivate the next generation of great musicians and patrons of the arts.

Sophisticated Giving: To fulfill its mission, Jazz St. Louis relies on the support of its community through both ticket purchases and donations. Pay us a visit for a night on the town in Grand Center with music and drinks! Approximately 60% of our annual budget is supported by our family of donors, and they play an important role in celebrating, sharing, and teaching the art of jazz in St. Louis. Donors can make a gift to JSL with either a mailed check or an online payment. To make an online donation, visit our website at jazzstl.org/donate to make either a one-time or monthly contribution.

Donations of stock or appreciated securities can also be arranged by contacting our Director of Development at katy@jazzstl.org or 314.881.3085.

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