Our Work
For over sixty-five years, our festivals have shown that music has the ability to change lives. Our mission is to create moments of hope through the power of music and community. Click here to view our 2023 Annual Report.
ARTIST RELIEF GRANTS
INSTRUMENTS DONATED
FREE MUSIC LESSONS
STUDENTS IMPACTED
Providing Music Education
We believe every person deserves access to music education, regardless of socioeconomic status.
FREE MUSIC LESSONS
We offer Free Music Lessons to any student, ages 9-18 in Newport County. Each student receives ten free, private, half-hour lessons and a free instrument rental for the duration of the lessons. This program is made possible thanks to the Gruben Charitable Foundation. Click here to register.
MUSIC IN PRISONS
Our Music In Prisons program provides music education for inmates in the Rhode Island Incarceration system. Each week, two music educators visit a women’s prison in Cranston to teach guitar, piano and songwriting. The goal is to provide a safe space for the inmates to express themselves and process their emotions through music.
NFF MUSIC LAB
The Newport Festivals Music Lab gives Newport Public School students the rare opportunity to work directly with festival artists throughout the school year to learn what it takes to be a musician in today’s ever-evolving music industry. Students learn the basics of music theory, form their own bands, and write their own songs. The program culminates with each student performing live on stage at the Newport Folk Festival.
SUMMER CAMP
The Newport Jazz Summer Camp is a week long, life-changing Jazz Camp in Newport, Rhode Island. High School students learn from experienced music educators and festival artists about topics including jazz theory, improvisation, small ensembles, and big band. The camp concludes with each student performing on stage at the legendary festival.
FREE FESTIVAL TICKETS FOR LOCAL STUDENTS
We offer Free Tickets to every senior student from Rogers High School. We also offer tickets to local nonprofits in Newport County such as the Boys & Girls club. Click here to learn more.
INSTRUMENT DONATIONS
We place new and gently used instruments in the hands of deserving students all across the country, from Puerto Rico to Portland OR and Colorado to Newport County. To request an instrument, click here.
PROGRAM FUNDING
Through our Artist Gives program, we have provided grants to hundreds of music education nonprofits across the country. Every artist on our Jazz and Folk lineups is given the opportunity to recommend a music program – we then make the grant on their behalf.
ASSEMBLY BAND PROGRAM
We bring artist ambassadors directly to our partner programs to connect, share, and inspire students. This includes our traveling Newport Jazz Assembly Bands that present assembly programs on the history of Jazz for schools in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Michigan.
Supporting Musicians
Artists are at the core of the Newport Festivals community.
Their performances fill us with hope, bring us together in celebration and support us during the good times and the bad. Now it’s our turn to give back. The COVID-19 crisis has proven particularly devastating for musicians whose livelihood is dependent on congregation. As a result, we established the Newport Festivals Musician Relief Fund to provide financial relief to musicians through micro grants and content grants.
Preserving Our Festivals
More than just music festivals, our events are celebrations of the work we do year round.
Founded in 1954 and 1959 respectively, the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals have always strived to present artists who respect and honor jazz and folk music traditions, while at the same time reflecting the changes in trends and the times in which they live. As the first modern music festivals in the US, they continue, to this day, to be leaders and innovators.
NEWPORT SESSIONS
Explore our series of free lectures, tutorials, conversations, and performances meant to inspire the next generation of players and fans. Content grants have been provided to many of the participating artists.
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
Your donation to Newport Festivals Foundation will help ensure the future of our festivals and support musicians and music education programs across the country.