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THE JAZZ GALLERY
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 133948717 · Form 990 · FY2023 · NTEE A200 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Medium ($1M-$10M) · jazzgallery.org
revenue
$1.5M
expenses
$1.4M
net assets
$1.2M
employees
34
program ratio
80%
mission · from form 990

THE ORGANIZATION PROMOTES JAZZ AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE ARTS, LITERATURE, AND LIFE. IT ACHIEVES THIS THROUGH ITS MUSIC PROGRAM, EXHIBITIONS, AND THROUGH SPONSORSHIP OF OTHER EVENTS AND PROGRAMS.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Jazz Gallery is a New York City-based nonprofit performance venue dedicated to supporting emerging and established jazz artists through residencies, commissions, and performances. It fosters artistic innovation and growth in jazz, a Black American art form, by providing space, funding, and mentorship. The organization presents over 400 shows annually and streams music to audiences in 40 countries.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Debut Series
Provides a platform for emerging artists performing at The Jazz Gallery or in NYC for the first time, showcasing diverse voices in contemporary jazz.
Mentor Series
Pairs veteran jazz musicians with younger artists for collaborative performances and professional development, continuing jazz’s tradition of informal mentorship.
Residency Commissions
Annual program since 2002 that commissions new works by emerging composers and bandleaders, providing commissioning fees and unrestricted access to performance space for a full season to develop large-scale projects culminating in a premiere.
Roy Hargrove Big Band Monthly Residency
Ongoing monthly performances by the re-launched Roy Hargrove Big Band, honoring the legacy of the co-founder and featuring musicians who played with him.
The Woodshed
Offers free rehearsal space to New York City jazz artists to support creative development and collaboration.
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Commissioning New Musical Works 1 activity
    • Commissioning and premiering new musical works
      Commissions new musical works annually from emerging and mid-career composers and bandleaders, providing commissioning fees, unrestricted access to performance space for an entire season, and premiere opportunities. Since 2002, has supported the creation of 55 new works by 52 artists, some of which have received GRAMMY nominations or commercial releases.
  • Performing Arts Ticket Access Programs 1 activity
    • Expanding access to jazz performances
      Offers a summer pass for unlimited entry to all regular shows during July and August 2026 for a flat fee of $75 and provides affordable access to students, supporting broader public engagement with jazz music.
  • Music Education and Training Programs 1 activity
    • Facilitating mentorship between veteran and emerging jazz musicians
      Runs a Mentor Series and Mentoring Program that pairs experienced jazz artists with younger musicians for collaborative performances and career development, fostering artistic growth particularly within the African-American jazz tradition.
  • Arts and Cultural Workforce Training 1 activity
    • Offering educational internships in arts management
      Provides student internships in venue operations, social media, and marketing, with school credit available, to build capacity in arts administration and support the next generation of cultural professionals.
  • Performing Arts Venue Rental 1 activity
    • Operating a jazz performance venue and event space
      Operates a performance venue in the Flatiron District of Manhattan that hosts jazz events, exhibitions, and sponsored programs. Offers rental of two approximately 1500 square foot loft spaces, each with stage, seating, sound equipment, lounge, bar, green room, and refrigeration, accommodating about 70 people each. Includes one sound engineer/manager and one staff member with each rental, with optional additional staff.
  • Classical and Chamber Music Performances 1 activity
    • Providing performance opportunities through artist residencies and series
      Operates the Debut Series for emerging artists performing in New York City for the first time, the 21st Century Jazz program showcasing innovative jazz artists, and monthly residencies such as the Roy Hargrove Big Band. Presents over 400 performances annually, reaching more than 17,000 audience members each year.
  • Subsidized Rehearsal and Performance Space 1 activity
    • Providing rehearsal and recording support to jazz artists
      Offers free rehearsal space to New York City jazz artists through The Woodshed program and provides multitrack audio and video recording and live streaming services for performances. Since 2025, has formalized a Live at The Jazz Gallery recording option for all performing musicians, supporting the release of live recordings while artists retain full rights and proceeds.
financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$1.49M
Contributions & grants$1.04M69%
Program service revenue$460K31%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.36M
Program expenses80%
Admin / overhead16%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$486K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.92M
Cash$992K
Investments$0
Liabilities$681K
Net assets$1.24M
Liquid reserves8.7 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue +8.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
RIO SAKAIRI ARTISTIC DIRECTOR 1 $111K
JANET LUHRS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 1 $90K
board members · 14
  • DAN LEVY — TRUSTEE
  • DONALD SHIRE — TRUSTEE
  • HANK O'NEAL — PRESIDENT
  • JAMES BROWNE — TRUSTEE
  • JOHN MCCORMICK — VICE PRESIDENT
  • JONATHAN CHIMENE — TREASURER
  • KEN KIMERLING — TRUSTEE
  • LEZLIE HARRISON — TRUSTEE
  • MATTHEW COENY — TRUSTEE
  • MIRANDA DANUSUGONDO — TRUSTEE
  • NOEL SILVERMAN — TRUSTEE
  • PAVANI THAGIRISA — TRUSTEE
  • RONALD SCOTT — TRUSTEE
  • SAM HAGLER — SECRETARY
relationships · 16

Who they work with

  • Booth Ferris Foundation Funder — Supporter of The Jazz Gallery's programs.
  • Cheswatyr Foundation Funder — Provides support for the Residency Commissions program.
  • Doris Duke Performing Artist Awards Partner — Recognizes emerging composers commissioned by The Jazz Gallery.
  • Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation Funder — Supporter of The Jazz Gallery.
  • Grammy Awards Partner — Honors artists who have premiered work at The Jazz Gallery.
  • Howard Gilman Foundation Funder — Provides support for the Residency Commissions program.
  • Jerome Foundation Funder — Provides grant funding that supports the Residency Commissions program.
  • MacArthur Foundation Partner — Supports emerging composers who have received MacArthur Foundation "genius" grants.
  • New Music USA Funder — Provided support through its Organization Fund in 2023-24.
  • New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Funder — Provides support for the Residency Commissions program.
  • New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Public funder supporting The Jazz Gallery's programs in partnership with the City Council.
  • New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Provides support for the Residency Commissions program.
  • New York State Council on the Arts Government — Funder supporting The Jazz Gallery's programs with support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
  • Roy Hargrove Legacy LLC Partner — Re-launched the Roy Hargrove Big Band in partnership with The Jazz Gallery for a monthly residency.
  • Thelonious Monk Competition Partner — Features early-career performances by winners of the competition.
  • theeventhelper.com Partner — Partner platform through which renters obtain required 1-day insurance policies for each rented space.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Artist-Centered Platform with Equity Focus
    methodology: artist_centered_platform
    By providing emerging and established artists with access to residencies, commissions, performances, and creative development support, The Jazz Gallery fosters artistic innovation and risk-taking because removing financial, spatial, and systemic barriers enables deeper exploration and diverse cultural representation in jazz.
  • Equity-Driven Institutional Practice
    methodology: equity_centered_institutional_learning
    By continuously re-examining organizational policies and practices through the lens of diversity, racial equity, and inclusion, The Jazz Gallery advances justice in its programming because sustained self-assessment ensures that structural inequities are identified and addressed in real time.
  • Intergenerational Mentorship for Artistic Continuity
    methodology: intergenerational_mentorship
    By pairing veteran and emerging musicians in a mentorship framework, The Jazz Gallery sustains jazz tradition and promotes artistic growth because this relational model counteracts the loss of informal learning in formal education and strengthens intergenerational knowledge transfer.
  • Jazz as Community and Cultural Practice
    methodology: jazz_as_community_practice
    By framing jazz as a living community practice rooted in the African American experience, The Jazz Gallery builds collective awareness and belonging because centering jazz’s cultural origins fosters shared humanity, respect, and broader engagement beyond performance alone.
  • Process-Oriented Creative Development
    methodology: process_over_product
    By prioritizing the creative process over final products—especially for early-career composers—the Jazz Gallery encourages experimentation and artistic risk-taking because valuing exploration reduces performance pressure and supports long-term artistic maturation.