Jazz Arts Projects Awards Mini-Grants to NJ Jazz Musicians

Even with the epidemic in the rear view mirror, reports are that the jazz community has still not fully recovered. The closing of jazz venues and cancellation of festivals left musicians struggling to pay their bills. This holiday season will be a little brighter for twenty New Jersey jazz musicians thanks to funding secured by Red Bank’s Jazz Arts Project. 

To help support musicians during these difficult times, Jazz Arts Project was chosen along with a few other organizations in various segments of the arts community to distribute funding by the New Jersey Arts & Culture Renewal Fund at the Princeton Area Community Foundation (NJACRF). The grants will provide direct relief to jazz musicians who have personally suffered the economic effects from the Covid-19 pandemic and who are actively rebuilding careers and renewing a commitment to the art form. 

“We’re very grateful to the New Jersey Arts & Cultural Renewal Fund for recognizing the value of supporting jazz -- America’s unique art form,” said Joe Muccioli, the organization’s Artistic Director. “So many musicians continue to struggle making ends meet and rebuilding careers after two trying years of a pandemic that stripped away their livelihood.”

All grants were awarded based on compelling need to professional musicians living in New Jersey who have a strong foundation, performance history and focus on jazz. Applications included links to performance videos or audio clips. Needs cited by grantees included such areas as health care, personal expenses, child care, overdue mortgage or rent payments, and instrument repair or purchase.

The New Jersey Arts and Culture Renewal Fund was established to ensure the survival and strength of the state’s arts, arts education, cultural and historical sector during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.  The fund is a public-private partnership, capitalizing on the resources and expertise available through the government, corporate and private philanthropic sectors. 

The Jazz Arts Project, headquartered in Red Bank, seeks to preserve, promote, and perpetuate jazz. The organization produces performances of the highest quality, creates educational programs about jazz and its history, and seeks to raise awareness of the art form through lectures, workshops, and publications.  The group’s Jazz Arts Academy provides year-round training to young students who display an interest in jazz. 

Visit the Jazz Arts Project web site, www.jazzartsproject.org, to learn more about all the upcoming events, including the upcoming holiday concert at Two River Theater by famed saxophonist and jazz master Paquito D’Rivera, December 17 at 3 pm.