Just weeks after Jazz St. Louis shut down Strauss Park with a parade and street party marking its 30th anniversary, the organization has another reason to celebrate. It has received an $80,000 general operating support grant from the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis (RAC).
“We are grateful to the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis for their continued investment in Jazz St. Louis,” said Victor Goines, president and CEO of Jazz St. Louis. “For three decades, we’ve remained a home for world-class jazz of all varieties while expanding access and education to our community. General operational support like this is the oil that helps keep our organization moving.”
The funding will help Jazz St. Louis continue its efforts to bring world-class jazz performances, education programs and community outreach to the St. Louis region.
RAC, which turned 40 this year, is the largest annual funder of the arts in the region. The commission awarded more than $3.7 million in grants this year to 52 local arts nonprofits.
“The experiences that RAC funds help make a difference in changing the narrative about St. Louis,” said Vanessa Cooksey, RAC’s president and CEO. “Our region is a great place to live and work. And the arts definitely contribute to all of those things.”
Since 2001, RAC has provided steady support to Jazz St. Louis, the foremost jazz presenter in St. Louis and throughout the region. Jazz St. Louis presents more than 270 performances each year and serves as a cornerstone of the city’s music scene, attracting Grammy winners, rising stars and genre-defying innovators while honoring St. Louis’ deep-rooted jazz legacy.
Over the years, artists including Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Diana Krall, Harry Connick Jr. and Al Jarreau have performed on its stage.
The 30th anniversary season will feature both national acts and local talent, with headliners such as seven-time Grammy winner Chucho Valdés, Jamaican-American pianist Monty Alexander, New Orleans drummer Herlin Riley, vocalists Mary Stallings, Luciana Souza and Bria Skonberg, The Bad Plus, alto saxophonist Grace Kelly and the Kind of Blue Sextet, a fiery ensemble keeping hard bop alive.
“This anniversary season celebrates our legacy while embracing the future of jazz,” Goines said.
A highlight of the year-long celebration will be the 100th birthday of Miles Davis, the Alton-born, East St. Louis-raised legend. Jazz St. Louis will mark the occasion with “Happy Birthday Miles: Terell Stafford & Tim Warfield” (May 26-29, 2026), featuring two of the most accomplished interpreters of Davis’ work. The Miles Electric Band also will perform as part of the subscription series, paying tribute to the trumpeter’s groundbreaking fusion period.
“This milestone season showcases the breadth and vitality that makes jazz America’s greatest cultural export,” Goines said.
Beyond the stage, Jazz St. Louis runs an extensive education program for students from elementary school through college. The organization offers field trips, in-school clinics, masterclasses and teacher resources — all free to participants. Programs such as JazzU, artist residencies and community performances give thousands of young people each year access to professional musicians and mentorship, nurturing the next generation of jazz artists.
“Since 1995, we’ve had the honor of bringing Grammy winners, rising stars and fearless innovators to our stage,” Goines said, “each adding to St. Louis’ rich legacy as a true jazz city.”