Washington DC Jazz Hero
Sara Donnelly has devoted her decades-long career to elevating and empowering artists on jazz’s cutting edge, working as a visionary granting officer, show presenter, artist advocate, festival administrator, and mentor to those working throughout the field.
Sara is a beloved figure on her hometown scene in Washington, D.C., where she started out as a vocalist in the 1980s and has remained closely involved in grassroots jazz organizing and show-presenting efforts ever since. But the effects of her important work are felt throughout the country — and across the jazz world. Suffice it to say, if you’re familiar with the D.C. jazz scene, you probably have met Sara. And if you’re an artist looking for ideas or advice — no matter where you are — you’d be glad if you did.
Sara served most recently as the director for jazz at South Arts, where her work has helped to shift the jazz-funding landscape toward artist self-determination. She did that by envisioning and administering the Jazz Road grant program, which has been a game-changer in the jazz-funding world. It places tour and residency support directly into the hands of jazz artists, rather than the usual festivals, venues and other nonprofit groups. As a result of her efforts, more than 100 artists have directly received funding in the past two years, allowing them to bring their music to audiences and student listeners across the country.
In a video conversation with Music Policy Forum, Sara explained the thinking that had gone into the touring and residency grant initiatives. “Everything about Jazz Road is artist-centric and artist-driven, including individual artists actually applying for grants … and receiving funds, and managing the whole orientation of their grant,” Sara said.
Jazz Road’s creative-residency grant program, she said, lets artists “collaborate and be with people and develop new work, and completely immerse themselves in very important community work, for their art. Looking at community work and engagement, also very much tied into the times.”
Before helping to found Jazz Road, Sara worked in various capacities at some of the most influential arts organizations in the country. She did grant-making work as an officer at the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Jazz Service Organization, the Association of Performing Arts Professionals and the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation. Through the Jazz.NEXT program she initiated at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Jazz Journalists Association was funded for its citizen-video eyeJAZZ initiative.
She has also stayed deeply involved in efforts to keep jazz thriving on the historic (and happening) D.C. scene.
She is a founding board member of CapitalBop, a 12-year-old nonprofit that publishes an online magazine and presents DIY jazz shows, festivals and educational programming. She has long been a core team member of Transparent Productions Presents, which held events at the Bohemian Caverns, and she co-produced Jazz at the Johns Hopkins Club in Baltimore. Se recently worked with the DC Jazz Festival to launch DC JazzPrix, its competition for young bandleaders which affords its winner a $15,000 prize and business development skills.
Sara is one of those faces that the D.C. jazz scene simply wouldn’t be the same without. And throughout her life, she has converted her love for this music into effective action on behalf of the people and communities that have made it.
As live music comes back after the pandemic shutdown, she will undoubtedly be out there, continuing to make an impact on every level. For all that she will undoubtedly continue to do in the years ahead, as well as the great things she has already accomplished for jazz, Sara is more than deserving of her position as Washington, D.C.’s JJA 2022 Jazz Hero. — Giovanni Russonello
