2021 Jazz Museum Annual Report
On Saturday, December 4, 2021, the New Orleans Jazz Museum celebrated the 4th Annual Improvisations Gala. Photography by Trai Thomas for New Orleans Jazz Museum.
Dear friends,
2021 has been filled with both exciting achievements and unprecedented challenges. As COVID-19 protocols continued to shift throughout the nation, the New Orleans Jazz Museum remained adaptable, dedicating time and resources to the musical community of the region. As many musicians lost their main streams of revenue during pandemic lockdowns, keeping local musicians employed with weekly virtual concerts and limited in-person outdoor events was one of our main priorities.
After Hurricane Ida hit in early September, we expanded our services to support the communities and artists that were impacted by the storm. Neither our historic building nor any of our archives and collections sustained significant damage, and all our staff evacuated safely so that when power was restored to the French Quarter we were able to get to work, serving as a physical hub for supplies like tarps and generators while also finding resources for evacuated and displaced musicians. Despite the challenges such as the storm and the various surges and variants, we enforced all CDC, State, and City guidelines in regards to masks, social distancing, and disinfecting measures to keep our staff and community safe. We were also able to offer free vaccinations at our NOLA River Fest through our partnership with the crisis response organization, CORE. We were grateful to be able to keep our community healthy and safe as we finished out the year.
The New Orleans Jazz Museum began 2021 with two weekly virtual programs, Live From the Balcony and Quarantunes. Working with the Jazz Foundation of America, the Museum added a third weekly virtual program titled JFA Presents which gathered a different all-star ensemble of jazz musicians from around the region each week. As restrictions lessened, we were able to hold many hybrid virtual and in-person events. With the Museum’s large grounds and multiple areas staged for performances and recordings, audiences could be invited onto the grounds to safely enjoy and celebrate during events like Mardi Gras, International Jazz Day, Satchmo SummerFest, Zydeco Fest, and multiple special concert series. The virtual streaming allowed us to showcase amazing Louisiana talent to the rest of the world as well, with audiences reaching across the globe.
The Museum expanded its digital efforts with the completion of the multi-year Institute for Museum & Library Services grant. This project involved the digitization of the majority of the Jazz Museum’s collections, which were then added to our collections database and to the Louisiana Digital Library. We also continued the development of a virtual field trip program, which will allow students all over the world to learn about and explore the fascinating history of jazz and music in New Orleans.
The New Orleans Jazz Museum successfully premiered a number of exhibits, spaces, and partnerships. In July, we opened the New Orleans Jazz Museum Education Center and Ruth U. Fertel Jazz Lab. The high-quality recording and broadcasting equipment in the Jazz Lab and the versatile flex-space of the Education Center have quickly become essential to our programming. These spaces have been used for workshops, seminars, virtual K-12 programs, and other activities, events, and exhibits. In November, the Education Center housed its first exhibit The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure. Through a partnership with Disney, the exhibit took guests on an interactive road trip through the cities most influential and integral to the formation of jazz.
Other areas of the Museum saw new growth and exhibits as well, with the exhibits Fat Man to Mahalia: James Michalopoulos’ Music Paintings opening in April and Exit Stage Right: Zack Smith’s Festival Portraits opening in December. Face Value: The Illusions of Power and Money by Generic Art Solutions, a Prospect New Orleans art installation, was incorporated into our exhibit on the history of the New Orleans Branch Mint. Outside the exhibits, we made many improvements to the grounds and building, including painting all the ironwork and exterior wooden doors. With so many events happening from the balcony and courtyards, we wanted to protect the impressive, historic exterior from the elements.
We wrapped up the year with two of our most anticipated events— Sound Collage and the Improvisations Gala. For three nights, the Museum was transformed into a playground of lights and sounds with art and performance installations both inside and on the grounds. We are honored to have this weekend-long event to show our local and global community how much we value their support at the Jazz Museum. We are grateful for all we received from the community during this unprecedented year, which allowed us to continue producing exhibitions, providing educational programs, and supporting the musicians, culture-bearers, and artists of Louisiana. The generous donations and sponsorships we have received have allowed us to grow our digital and online efforts, showcase musical talent in multiple virtual and in-person series, and most of all, provide resources to those who keep the culture and traditions of New Orleans alive and vibrant. Everything we achieved this year would not have been possible without the involvement of our dedicated community.
With Gratitude,
Greg Lambousy, Director
New Orleans Jazz Museum