In an era when public schools are forced to cut back on arts and music education, there is a need to offer projects which promote creative thinking and expressions. The New Orleans Arts and Cultural Host Committee, Jazz Camp faculty and staff are committed to providing young people with productive activities to keep them positively involved. The discipline employed in learning music is a character-building skill, which is useful throughout life.
The New Orleans Arts and Cultural Host Committee has been presenting Jazz Camp since 2000 and enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship with many local, national and international organizations.
The primary sponsor and supporter of Jazz Camp is the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation (New York). This foundation was created by Louis and Lucille Armstrong. All assets from their estate were left to the Foundation. The camp’s biggest cheerleader was the late Phoebe Jacobs. Mrs. Jacobs was a publicist, Jazz historian, and friend to the world’s most gifted and prominent Jazz artists. Phoebe Jacobs served as the executive vice president of the Armstrong Foundation until her death. The New York based organization is dedicated to supporting Jazz education and perpetuating the legacy and contributions of both Louis and Lucille Armstrong.
Through its partnerships with the Orleans Parish Public Schools System and the University of New Orleans (UNO), Jazz Camp was housed on the campus of Medard Nelson Elementary School from 1995 to 2009. Nelson has been under the auspices of the University of New Orleans since 2005. Jazz Camp’s Production/Engineering workshop was sponsored and housed at the University of New Orleans Lakefront Campus Music Department for 5 seasons.
Jazz Camp is now housed at Loyola University and is hosted in the university’s College of Music and Fine Arts. A Jesuit run college, this education network is one of the largest systems in American higher learning institutions. Jazz Camp has enjoyed a fruitful and beneficial relationship with the university. Jazz Camp’s Music Business Workshop was presented at Loyola for three years. In addition to Jazz Camp, a new collaboration has been developed to address the decline of music education in local public schools. A partnership with Loyola, the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation and Jazz Camp supports placing musician/educators in classrooms with music teachers and band directors.
Other supporters and contributors include:
- Entergy (presenter of the camp’s culminating concert)
- ASCAP Foundation
- Estate of Lionel Hampton
- Jazz Alliance
- New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation
- Ruth Fertel Foundation
- Defend New Orleans
- Marc H. Morial
- Basin Street Records
- Liberty Bank and Trust
- Stephen Rosenfeld
- Bruno & Tervalon, LLP
- California Community Foundation
- Wynton Marsalis and the Higher Ground Katrina Relief Fund at Jazz At Lincoln Center
- George and Joyce Wein Foundation
- Festival Productions, Inc., Essence Communications
- Arts France
- AT&T
- and other philanthropic organizations.
