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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA new presenting organization for Indy Jazz Fest hopes to strike the right note with a summer music festival that has been on a financial roller coaster since its founding 10 years ago.
The Indy Jazz Fest Corp. – a partnership of the Jazz Kitchen nightclub and restaurant, the Owl Studios downtown recording company and the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation – is assuming leadership of the festival from the American Pianists Association.
The new partnership is negotiating with potential sponsors. Whether longtime title sponsor Kroger will participate this year remains unclear. The company considers its sponsorship annually and has no long-term agreement, Kroger spokesman John Elliott said.
The three partners taking over the event say they want to move away from high-priced entertainers with little jazz influence and attempt to reach more people with concerts in large and small venues in the week preceding the two-day outdoor event.
The lineup of artists for the June event on the Lawn at White River State Park is expected to be announced in April.
Since APA took over the event in 2003, organizers have tried to cover the festival’s entire $1.3 million annual budget through sponsorships. The idea was to use money from ticket sales to set up a cash reserve and ultimately an endowment. But that effort never materialized.
Poor weather conditions held down revenue for the outdoor event some years.
APA artistic director Joel Harrison said in a written statement that the organization wants to focus on supporting young American jazz and classical pianists through its fellowship awards program.
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