City of Philadelphia Leads the 9th Annual Celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month with Philly Celebrates Jazz
PHILADELPHIA – This April, the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE) will lead the city in the 9th annual observance of Jazz Appreciation Month with Philly Celebrates Jazz, a celebration of Philadelphia’s rich jazz heritage and community.
“The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy looks forward to the unique partnerships that are fostered during Philly Celebrates Jazz each April,” said Chief Cultural Officer Kelly Lee. “From music, dance and spoken word performances to visual art exhibits, film screenings, and discussions, the cross-genre collaborations formed during Philly Celebrates Jazz provide a creative avenue for anyone to experience Philadelphia’s jazz history and community.”
Philly Celebrates Jazz features more than 200 jazz-related events across the city. To explore a calendar of jazz events happening in April, visit the Arts Access Calendar. Of the over 200 jazz events listed, more than 75 are free to the public. There are at least three jazz events happening each day during April.
The Philly Celebrates Jazz Kickoff on Thursday, March 28, 2019 at City Hall will welcome Jazz Appreciation Month with an awards ceremony from 5:30-6:00 p.m. in the Mayor’s Reception Room 202 and then continue with a reception from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in Conversation Hall, Room 201. The awards ceremony will honor the 2019 Benny Golson Award and Philly Celebrates Jazz Award winners, Kevin Eubanks and Ella Gahnt. The reception will include light refreshments and the opening of the two Art in City Hall jazz exhibits.
Art in City Hall will celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month with two exhibits in April. The Philly Celebrates Jazz Listening Lounge will transform the Art Gallery at City Hall into a listening lounge where visitors can experience Philadelphia’s jazz scene and explore past Jazz Appreciation Month awardees through an interactive exhibit of music, books, photographs and more. Reflections on the second floor of City Hall will showcase six Philadelphia artists reflecting on how jazz culture has an influence on their artwork. Participating artists include James Dupree, Bill Foster, Melissa Gilstrap, Leroy Johnson, Cavin Jones and Bruce Turner.
As part of Philly Celebrates Jazz, OACCE is producing its third Philly Celebrates Jazz Neighborhood Series which includes free jazz concerts, dance lessons, film screenings, and more at Philadelphia community sites like Recreation Centers, Free Library of Philadelphia Branches, and Older Adult Centers. To view a full schedule of the Philly Celebrates Jazz Neighborhood Series, visit creativephl.org/jazz.
A new initiative this year is the Philly Celebrates Jazz 2019 Photo Session Contest. OACCE, Philadelphia Jazz Project, and All About Jazz / Jazz Near You have partnered to pay for free professional photography sessions for ten local emerging jazz musicians as part of Philly Celebrates Jazz. Understanding the importance of professional photography for marketing and promotional purposes, these free photo sessions will be awarded to ten local and emerging jazz musicians or bands by a lottery system. Jazz musicians can enter to win at the Philly Celebrates Jazz 2019 Kickoff. Winners will be announced on International Jazz Day on April 30, 2019.
WRTI is the exclusive media sponsor for Philly Celebrates Jazz. 2019 partners include the Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, Philadelphia Jazz Project, All About Jazz / Jazz Near You, Jazz Bridge, Rush Arts Philadelphia, Women’s Coalition for Empowerment Inc, Sistahs Attune, CinéSPEAK, Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Art, Jam All Productions, Old City Sweethearts, Ragtag Empire, South Street Cinema, Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection at Temple University, and the Trudy Pitts Legacy Collection and many more.
About Philly Celebrates Jazz
The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy leads the City of Philadelphia in Philly Celebrates Jazz, a celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month in April each year. The celebration by showcases the power of jazz in different shapes and raises awareness about Philadelphia’s rich jazz heritage. Through live performances, art exhibitions, films, and more, Philly Celebrates Jazz allows Philadelphians to fully experience an art form that has contributed to the cultural vibrancy of Philadelphia. For more information about the Philly Celebrates Jazz, visit creativephl.org/jazz.
About City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy
The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE) supports and promotes arts, culture and the creative industries; develops partnerships that ensure culture and creativity are essential components of Philadelphia’s community revitalization, education,and economic development strategies; and links Philadelphians to cultural resources and opportunities. For more information about the Office of Arts,Culture and the Creative Economy, visit CreativePHL.org and follow @CreativePHL on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.