Jazz International

New Orleans legendary music, vibrant arts, and deep culture knows no borders.

The New Orleans Jazz Museum’s Jazz International initiative is dedicated to sharing New Orleans’ unique heritage with the world, forging dynamic global partnerships through six overarching strategies that immerse audiences worldwide in authentic experiences. Jazz International engages in diverse musical exchanges with its partner organizations, both by hosting musicians from around the world in New Orleans and by sending delegations of New Orleans culture bearers to destinations around the globe. These missions take a wide variety of forms, including festivals, cultural diplomacy exchanges, and educational workshops. From France to Taiwan to the Dominican Republic, esteemed artists such as Herlin Riley, Dr. Michael White, James Andrews, and Gregg Stafford have shared New Orleans music and culture with global audiences.

In 2025, Jazz International also introduced Jazz Passports – an exclusive opportunity for members of the public to join the Museum’s cultural exchange initiative. These curated trips include behind the scenes experiences, museum visits, and tours.

JAZZ PASSPORTS

Music Missions

Jazz International engages in diverse musical exchanges with our partner sites by both hosting musicians from around the world in New Orleans, as well as sending delegations of New Orleans culture bearers to destinations around the globe. From France to Hong Kong to the Dominican Republic, esteemed artists such as Herlin Riley, Dr. Michael White, James Andrews, and Gregg Stafford have shared and educated global audiences about the music and culture of New Orleans.

Educational Programming

Jazz Ambassadors

The New Orleans Jazz Ambassadors Program is a partnership between the New Orleans Jazz Museum and local universities that grants a rotating roster of New Orleans music students an opportunity to perform abroad and serve as ambassadors for the city.

Culinary Lectures and Demonstrations

Jazz International partners with Dillard University’s Ray Charles Program in African American Material Culture, whose mission is to research, document, disseminate, preserve, and celebrate African-American culture and foodways in the South. Together, they offer lectures and demonstrations on New Orleans traditional cuisine for international audiences, highlighting the process of Creolization of the various cultural influences that converged in New Orleans over the course of three centuries.

Dance Education

Jazz International partners with culture bearers to bring traditional New Orleans second line footwork demonstrations to global communities.

Support for Educational Materials

Jazz International proudly supports select primary education facilities to provide art and music supplies to under-served student populations.

Traveling Exhibits

Through the Jazz International initiative, traveling exhibits from the New Orleans Jazz Museum’s collection can be customized to suit the specific needs of host galleries and venues. Below are exhibits currently in international circulation:

Drumsville: Evolution of the New Orleans Beat‍ ‍Celebrates the development of the drum kit in New Orleans and the ongoing evolution of its rich local drumming traditions.

Women of Note‍ ‍Highlights the role of women in the evolution of New Orleans jazz, from its beginnings in the early 20th century to today’s vibrant music scene.

Economy Hall : The Hidden History of a Free Black Brotherhood Economy Hall was one of the central places where jazz was born as all the early players from Kid Ory to King Oliver to Buddy Bolden made music inside its wall.

It All Started In Jane Alley : Louis Armstrong In New Orleans The exhibition gives a glimpse into Louis Armstrong’s life in New Orleans and his evolving relationship with the city after his departure.

Historical Research

Jazz International supports cultural exchange in the form of archival materials, focusing on but not limited to Atlantic world studies, with the aim to locate historical connections between New Orleans and places of commonality.
Jazz International also partners with and conducts research in international archives.
Through the New Orleans Jazz Museum’s online collections, Jazz International offers free and open access to researchers worldwide.

Gallatin Records

Gallatin Street Records is a project directed towards the continued preservation and evolution of New Orleans music, art, and culture. It provides a way to publish the New Orleans Jazz Museum’s vintage recordings, as well as those made of performances at the museum’s current performance center. Visit our website to learn more.