Jazz St. Louis hosts St. Louis Promise Zone area school districts to promote the arts
On Friday December 14th, Jazz St. Louis and the St. Louis Promise Zone partnered to engage over 200 students from 7 area school districts in the art of jazz. The Emerson Jazz in the Schools program allows students from schools in the federally-designated Promise Zone to experience world-class musicians in a world-class venue, the Ferring Jazz Bistro.
Photo Courtesy: St. Louis Promise Zone
“We know that arts are important to the overall academic success and career pathway planning for young people. This event is part of our youth engagement strategy to increase arts & literacy access throughout the zone,” said Erica Henderson, Executive Director of the St. Louis Promise Zone.
Students experienced both a performance and conversation with three-time GRAMMY award-winning artist, Robert Glasper, and respected St. Louis-based visual artist, Cbabi Bayoc during the event.
Photo Courtesy: St. Louis Promise Zone
“St. Louis is known as a city that was important to the development of this uniquely American art form, and we want to make sure that young people from all corners of the city have the opportunity to hear world-class artists play this music. We are thrilled to be able to partner with St. Louis Promise Zone for this project,” said Phil Dunlap, Director of Education and Community Engagement at Jazz St. Louis.
As part of the Promise Zone’s commitment to promote arts and literacy, this was a great opportunity to expose students to the genre of jazz as an art of communication that has historically defined the St. Louis music scene.
Photo Courtesy: St. Louis Promise Zone
For the first time, Jazz St. Louis will bring students onsite for an afternoon of jazz education working with specifically with St. Louis Promise Zone area schools. Jazz St. Louis has an extensive portfolio of education programs aimed at elementary, middle and high school students in the greater St. Louis area. Since. 2000, over 160,000 students have participated in Jazz St. Louis’ educational programming stemming from partnerships with more than 100 area schools. At least 60% of students come from low-income communities like those in the St. Louis Promise Zone. This program and collaboration is made possible through generous funding from Emerson.
Jazz St. Louis has been the foremost presenter of jazz in St. Louis and throughout the region, as well as being a leader in preserving the legacy of this musical genre. Year after year, Jazz St. Louis strives to be the leader in developing unique programming that engages youth and adults alike, and preserves the shared cultural heritage embodied in jazz music.
St. Louis Promise Zone’s mission is to catalyze a more equitable and thriving region through collaboration, alignment, and intentional, strategic investment in St. Louis’s disinvested communities. The Promise Zone’s vision is to create strong, sustainable, and healthy mixed-income communities where all residents have access to equal opportunity.
