Kenny Neal on Stage

The Foundation that Fuels the Fests

For the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, festivals are just the most visible element of a commitment to music education

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The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is synonymous with New Orleans—the brand “JazzFest” instantly recognizable by music lovers from across the country and around the world. But what about the foundation responsible for bringing that iconic event to life? Founded in 1970, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation (NOJHF) has played a role in creating many of the Crescent City’s most culturally distinctive events and traditions. The organization’s mission statement is clear: “The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation, Inc. promotes, preserves, perpetuates, and encourages the music, culture, and heritage of communities in Louisiana through festivals, programs, and other cultural, educational, civic, and economic activities.” The goal: to teach, build and celebrate the culture of New Orleans. 

Teach!

The Don “Moose” Jamison Heritage School of Music was launched in 1990 to provide free after-school music instruction to area kids. Today it is the NOJHF’s signature education program. Since its founding, the school has expanded in various ways. In 2016 a free beginners’ music program was established to give children from all walks of life opportunities to study music. A year later, the NORD Vocal Workshops series was launched, increasing the reach and accessibility of music education throughout New Orleans. Additional programs such as Pro Audio Workshops and the Tom Dent Congo Square Lecture Series expand the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s educational reach still further. 

Build!

During the last decade, The NOJHF has distributed more than $13.5 million in grants across Louisiana through the Community Partnership Grant program. These funds have expanded access to arts education into countless schools, artists’ communities, and art-based nonprofits around the state. The Foundation also provides business development and entrepreneurial support services, which are delivered via programs such as the Sync Up series and the Catapult Fund. 

Celebrate!

Anyone who has experienced the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on a beautiful spring day knows that no greater celebration of New Orleans’ music, food, and art culture exists on the Crescent City’s annual calendar. But after the crowds go home and the tents come down, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation continues working to keep the party going all year long. With a full calendar of regularly scheduled concerts and teaching workshops, educational programs such as the NORD Vocal Workshop and Class Got Brass series, plus a host of annual festivals that includes the Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival, Johnny Jackson Jr’s Gospel Is Alive! Celebration, and Fiesta Latina in addition to the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival, the NOJF remains a lighthouse for education, community support, and cultural preservation that celebrates Louisiana culture and community all year round. To learn more about how you can help fuel the foundation that fuels the fests, visit jazzandheritage.org.