Jazz Road
Forecasted
Jazz Road supports jazz artists through artist-led tours and creative residencies that advance artistic careers, strengthen creative autonomy, and deepen connections with communities nationwide.
Funder: Arts Midwest
Due Dates (Anticipated): March 2027 (Jazz Road Tours)
Funding Amounts: Tours: $5,000–$15,000 | Creative Residencies: $5,000–$40,000 for one to four weeks
Summary: Jazz Road supports artist-led jazz tours and creative residencies that advance artistic careers and deepen community connections nationwide.
Key Information: Applicants must be professional jazz artists based in the U.S. or its territories, with U.S. citizenship or permanent residency.
Description
Jazz Road is a national, artist-centered initiative directed by South Arts in partnership with the other five U.S. Regional Arts Organizations, including Arts Midwest. Funded by the Doris Duke Foundation with additional support from the Mellon Foundation, it aims to strengthen jazz artists’ livelihoods, equitable compensation, creative autonomy, and relationships with presenters and communities.
Jazz Road Tours supports connected, three- to six-site tours, prioritizing rural, isolated, and underserved communities and venues newer to jazz. Creative Residencies supports self-defined experiences for creative development, collaboration, and community engagement. Residencies should depart from an artist’s previous artistic norms and produce significant artistic or career outcomes. Across both programs, Jazz Road honors jazz’s roots in the African American experience and its communal relationships among artists, elders, and communities.
