Local Governments

JazzApril & City Hall: an online discussion
How to get your local government to pass an "April is Jazz Month" proclamation, get local media to publicize your JazzApril events and more.
This discussion was recorded in 2013, but all of the advice is still quite relevant.  You can view it here.

City, town and other local governments can support Jazz April and recognize the important cultural, social and even economic contribution that jazz makes to their community. Local jazz fans and activists -- their constituents -- can ask that they do so. Officials might start the process, too.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors, at its last annual meeting in June, 2012, passed a resolution urging mayors to
Build partnerships with their local jazz society and other members of the arts and music community in their cities to proclaim, to participate in, International Jazz Day April 30, 2013 and to celebrate the month of April as Jazz Appreciation Month.

How Local Governments Can Support Local Jazz

We hope all local officials, not just mayors, will take the Mayors' resolution to heart, and that local citizens will ask their own officials (how-to hints below) to do some or all of the following:
  • Issue a Mayoral or council proclamation or resolution recognizing April 2013 as Jazz Appreciation Month and April 30, 2013 as Jazz Day in their city or town. The Mayors Conference resolution contains good language about the significance of jazz to include in such statements, which could also include references to important local jazz figures and institutions.
  • Work with local organizations, cultural institutions and businesses to raise the profile of jazz and local jazz musicians and other figures, during April and throughout the year to:

  • Jointly publicize any proclamation or resolution ( with a press conference or photo op with the Mayor and a local Jazz Hero or local musicians at the start of JazzApril, for instance.)
  • Include information about jazz-oriented special events, such as JazzApril or local jazz festivals,  in news releases and other materials produced by the city. (For JazzApril, such materials could include the Jazz Appreciation Month and Jazz Day logos. )
  • Financially support, or assist in the search for financial support, of local jazz performance, education, and other initiatives.
  • Provide necessary city services and official planning assistance for local jazz festivals, jazz tours, and other jazz-oriented events. (In many cities, such events have been significant in attracting tourism and can be significant local revenue producers.)

Jazz Heroes

Every year, as part of the JJA Jazz Awards, the Jazz Journalists Association works with local jazz communities to name local "Jazz Heroes"-- "activists, advocates, altruists, aiders and abettors of jazz who have had significant impact in their local communities." 2015 Jazz Heroes will be announced on April 1 at the JJA Jazz Awards website.