Community
Building an ecosystem for jazz in Seattle
The Earshot Jazz organization understands the need to earn its valued position within Seattle’s vibrant cultural community every year, as it has for 40 years. As one of only a few comprehensive, nonprofit jazz-support organizations in America, Earshot provides a hub for Seattle’s jazz artists, audiences, presenters, students, and educators.
In the spirit of strengthening our community, we’d love to hear from you. Go to our feedback form to send comments or suggestions.
Programming
Earshot is dedicated to Seattle artists, more than 65% of artists presented each year are resident artists. The NEA at 50 magazine praised Earshot Jazz for “thinking globally and acting locally.”
- Commissioning program supporting the creation of new works by resident artists
- Stewarding the Golden Ear Awards & Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame to recognize the accomplishments of Seattle jazz artists and other contributors in the previous year
- Featuring a resident-artist within the festival, an opportunity for them to present different elements of their work over the course of the annual festival
- Publishing the Earshot Jazz monthly magazine. As a “mirror and focus for the jazz community,” it profiles resident artists, reviews new releases, feature stories about all aspects of the community, and 1st person stores and photos from people on the scene
- Presenting new works from resident artists, including special projects, album release concerts, and premieres
- Supporting workshops for local high school jazz bands with professional musicians and
- Providing performance opportunities for students on the festival stage
- Curating several other regional events like the Bellevue Jazz Festival
- Continuing support for Seattle artists who have moved away, including responding to testimonial requests and enthusiastically featuring return engagements
Special Projects
We are honored to be a part of this vibrant community and relish/embrace the opportunity to participate in ventures beyond our own programming
- Participating in creative collaborations with other organizations in the region including Nonsequitur, South Hudson Music Project, and LANGSTON Seattle… just to name a few
- Providing grant assistance and fiscal sponsorship services for resident artists and community projects like the Jackson Street Jazz Trail
- During the pandemic provided free livestreams with venue partners Town Hall Seattle and the Royal Room
- During the pandemic we raised funds and administered the Seattle Jazz Artist Relief Fund that provided $53K of financial support for artists in need
Promotion
With communication tools from the printed magazine to our social media accounts, we support artists, other presenters, and special events throughout the region.
- Providing free live jazz music calendar listings for artists and organizations in the Jazz Around the Sound calendar, available in the printed magazine and online
- Offering ad space available in the printed magazine at very low rates
- Providing free ads in the magazine for free events and benefit concerts
- Using our social media channels to provide support for public programs throughout the region like Jazz Port Townsend, Lake Chelan Wine and Jazz Festival, Jackson Street Jazz Walk, and Seattle Jazz Fellowship
- Sponsoring special events in the region with ads in the magazine and social media support
Access
We work harder each year to make our programming accessible to all.
- Magazine is freely available at venues, cafes, libraries, and street boxes in neighborhoods throughout the region
- Adult ticket prices are low compared to commercial presenters and we offer discounts for students, veterans, seniors, and groups
- During the annual festival we provide free tickets to those who otherwise would not be able to attend concerts due to the cost
- At the concert door, we offer professional artist discounted tickets
