FIVE JAZZ FESTIVALS AWARDED $1 M IN TOTAL TO SUPPORT THEIR CONTINUING SUCCESS

The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF) today announced the five jazz organizations and related festivals receiving grants totaling $1 million through the Leadership Grants Program for Jazz. This new initiative offers flexible funding over two years to support the self-defined, long-term goals of organizations that have demonstrated excellence in and sustained commitment to the field of jazz. The overall objective of these grants is to support the foundation's long-standing goal to buoy the vibrancy of the jazz field by bolstering the long-term viability of its most critical organizations.

While this year's grantees differ in their geographic locations, revenue streams, partnership models and methods of operation, all were selected for their leadership in and importance to the robustness of the jazz field. The foundation's 2016 Leadership Grants Program for Jazz acknowledges the value of these festivals to the field and therefore aims to support them as they promote both the larger public interest in and artistic vitality of jazz artists and their presenters.

"Safeguarding the continued vibrancy of jazz means ensuring there are venues for artists to connect with audiences," said Maurine Knighton, program director for the Arts at DDCF. "These festivals, which attract thousands of concertgoers, are an important link that help imbue America's musical landscape with jazz's energy and excitement."

The Leadership Grants for Jazz will go to: 

• City Parks Foundation of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in New York, N.Y., with $75,000 to investigate ways to digitally record the audio and visuals of the performances for present and future audiences; and research options for the development of local and affordable rehearsal or informal performance spaces, in support of the artists' artistic exploration.
• Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation of the Detroit Jazz Festival in Detroit, Mich., with $200,000 to develop and implement DJFLIVE, an app designed to extend the stage experience; increase visitors' access to other media by the artists; support the artists by giving them greater public exposure; and continue to connect with the festival's existing audience across North America and beyond.Jazz Institute of Chicago of the
• Chicago Jazz Festival in Chicago, Ill., with $225,000 to support staff dedicated to developing long-term streams of corporate and philanthropic support; forge collaborations with new local communities, including youth involved in spoken word and hip-hop; and advance the strategic use of technology to streamline organizational processes
• Monterey Jazz Festival in Monterey, Calif., with $400,000 to connect with younger and more ethnically diverse communities; invest in efforts to evaluate and understand the impact of its decades-long educational programming; and develop new nonprofit and corporate relationships that can help support the festival's future
• Newport Festivals Foundation of the Newport Jazz Festival in Newport, R.I., with $100,000 to reinforce the festival's capacity to maintain strong, ongoing relationships with artists as well as to invite emerging artists to perform; encourage musicians to create their own compositions by commissioning new music; and exploring ways to strengthen the long-term careers of artists who debut at the festival.

The mission of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF) is to improve the quality of people's lives through grants supporting the performing arts, environmental conservation, medical research and child well-being, and through preservation of the cultural and environmental legacy of Doris Duke's properties. The Arts Program of DDCF focuses its support on contemporary dance, jazz and theatre artists, and the organizations that nurture, present and produce them. For more information, please visit www.ddcf.org.