South Arts recognizes that developing a successful tour or residency requires significant research. To assist applicants, we have assembled a list of the following resources. This list is not comprehensive, and is intended to serve as a starting-point for applicants as they build out a proposal. Additional assistance may be available by contacting your Regional Arts Organization representative.
Please note: Several listings represent organizations that require membership or subscriptions for further access.
National Performing Arts Associations
- AFTA (Americans for the Arts) is a nonprofit organization that seeks to represent and serve local communities and create opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts.
- APAP is the Association of Performing Arts Professionals, a membership organization that provides national arts services, directories, and advocacy for the live performing arts field.
- NAPAMA is the association of North American Performing Arts Managers and Agents, a not-for-profit service organization dedicated to promoting the professionalism of its members and the vitality of touring the live performing arts.
- Jazz Foundation of America is a nonprofit organization whose programs provide emergency assistance to jazz and blues artists by offering performance opportunities in schools and the community.
Regional Arts Organization and State Arts Agency Resources
- State and Regional Arts Organizations
- NASAA is the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies.
Musician Unions
- American Federation of Musicians has a list of local unions dedicated to representing the interests of professional musicians.
- International Association of Jazz Arrangers and Composers is a membership organization that is free and open to all who practice and love the art of jazz composition and arranging.
- Union of Musicians and Allied Workers
Jazz Education
- Jazz Education Network (JEN) is a global organization dedicated to building the jazz arts community by advancing education, promoting performance, and developing new audiences.
Jazz Media Resources
Please note: Many publications feature periodic national listings of US-based jazz festivals, college and high school jazz departments, competitions, and venues/jazz clubs.
- All About Jazz
- DownBeat Magazine
- JazzTimes
- JAZZIZ
- Jazz Near You from All About Jazz is a resource for event and venue listings (helpful tip: select a city or state from the main page and then choose “Venues” from the top menu to see a list of venues that may be interested in programming jazz artists)
- JazzWeek Company Directory contains a directory of promoters, marketing consultants, and other industry resources.
- JazzWeek Station Directory contains a directory of radio stations and syndicated programs.
- NPR: Jazz Night in America
- WBGO | The Jazz Source
Nonprofit Jazz Organizations and Presenter Networks
- GuideStar: Directory of Performing Arts Charities and Nonprofits
- Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Jazz Touring Network is a presenter-based membership program that provides support for professional development opportunities and jazz artist performance fee subsidies for its participants.
- Western Jazz Presenters Network and Western Jazz Presenters Network Facebook Group is a coalition of jazz presenters in Western North America dedicated to networking, collective booking of jazz artists, and advancement of the jazz field.
- Chamber Music America Jazz Programs and Presenter Consortia grantee lists
- Creative Capital has a wealth of resources and content for artists and has developed a social media toolkit for artists.
Jazz Societies
- Jazz Society Directory contains the Smithsonian’s downloadable 2019 directory of jazz societies.
Alternative Venue Sources
- Alternative Venues for Jazz Facebook Group describes themselves as a place for the “community to talk about creating new performance opportunities for the jazz musician.”
- Art Gallery Guides for Major Art Cities and Every State
- Foreign Embassies in the U.S. have the contact information for Foreign Embassies & Consulates.
- Jazz Museums in the U.S.
- Jazz Near You – House Concerts is a list of house-concert venues and operators.
- League of Historic American Theatres is a professional network for theatre owners and operators to connect with others who have faced the unique challenges of historic theatre ownership and operation.
- Listening Room Network connects artists with house concert performance opportunities.
- National Registry of Public Libraries contains links to find local, state, and federal libraries.
- Sofar Sounds curates intimate music experiences with musicians and audiences around the world.
- U.S. Art Museums
- U.S. Department of Education Directory of Schools, Colleges, and Libraries
Grant Writing Resources
- How to Talk About Your Art in a Grant Application is a blog featured on Fractured Atlas’ website.
- Tips on Preparing a Successful Grant Application is a bulleted list of grant application tips by the Regional Arts & Culture Council.
Additionally, through our ongoing Call for Presenters, the Jazz Road team has developed an internal directory of venues that have expressed interest in exploring opportunities with applicants. Contact the appropriate member of the Jazz Road team for more details.