We are excited to announce the beginning of 2021 also begins an amazing investment in technology for JazzArts Charlotte. Due to two generous grants received during the holiday season, from the Knight Foundation and from Apparo, JazzArts Charlotte will be embarking in a multi-year process to build technology solutions that will allow the organization to continue innovating into the new era of music and education.

Knight Foundation grants help Charlotte creatives community, Charlotte Post

Article by Ashley Mahoney, January 1 2021 — COVID-19 forced arts organizations and cultural institutions to make an aggressive digital shift during 2020 in order to continue to serve people in a physically distanced manner. JazzArts Charlotte is one of five organizations to receive a substantial multi-year grant from the Knight Foundation in order to continue to make the most of digital opportunities to engage and build on their audience.

“It offers us hope for a better future for our organization,” JazzArts Co-founder, CEO and President Lonnie Davis said. “We are very lucky that we have not had to lay off any of our staff up to this point. The Knight Foundation grant provides hope for us to get closer to our long term goals.”

It will allow the organization to increase its digital strategy, while also exploring new digital programming opportunities. The organization employs a combination of five staff members who are both full and part-time.

“It is certainly technology based, but it is also capacity building,” Davis said. “We want to broadly expand our academy and the number of students served, the number of performances—we have very audacious goals for the organization over the long term,” Davis said.

The Knight Foundation is a national foundation whose goal is to foster informed and engaged communities. One of its primary beliefs is that great art connects people and places to each other. Learn more about this amazing contribution: “Gifts to Arts and Cultural Institutions”, Charlotte Post January 1 2021.

In October, Apparo announced that JazzArts Charlotte would be one of ten nonprofits selected to participated the G.A.I.N. program – powered by Lowe’s. G.A.I.N. (Growth, Agility and Innovation for Nonprofits program) is a two-year acceleration program that provides software, hardware, training and advisement in order to equip nonprofit with modern technology to overcome challenges that limit them from reaching their full potential. Apparo is a nonprofit dedicated to tech and business solutions for nonprofits in the Carolinas and across the nation.

While donor contributions and other key arts support, from many critical partner organizations such as the Arts & Science Council, are the bedrock that allows JazzArts Charlotte to ensure jazz music programs are accessible to the entire community regardless of financial ability, these exciting new grants ensure the organization can also meet the trajectory of the digital shift long-term. Together, JazzArts Charlotte is excited about our ability to meet the needs of the arts community today and in our future.