What The Jazz Gallery does

The Jazz Gallery is a New York City-based non-profit jazz performance venue founded in 1995 by Roy Hargrove, Dale Fitzgerald, and Lezlie Harrison, currently located at 1158 Broadway in the NoMad neighborhood after relocating from SoHo in 2012. The organization operates a single venue space presenting over 300 live jazz performances annually through its core Directions in 21st Century Jazz program, which comprises a Debut Series for first-time leaders in NYC alongside weekend headliner shows. It runs an integrated portfolio of artist development programs including Residency Commissions (since 2002, supporting 52 artists in creating 55 new works), the TJG George Wein Fellowship with a Rockefeller Brothers Fund Pocantico Center residency, the TJG Joyce Wein Mentoring Series, the Jazz Composers Showcase, the Margaret Whitton Award for mid-career female artists, and free rehearsal space through the Woodshed program.

The Gallery's revenue model is a non-profit mix of ticket sales (via the Ovations ticketing platform and box office), monthly and annual donations, membership dues (Jazz Connoisseur level and above unlock the Salon Series), space rental for external events, merchandise sales, and a diversified base of grants and public funding from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYS Council on the Arts, and multiple private foundations including Jerome, Booth Ferris, Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels, Joyce & George Wein, Howard Gilman, and Cornelia T. Bailey. Distribution is single-geography (NYC, with select Northeast touring via the Mentoring Series), and the organization added an Education Program (February 2024) and the inaugural NoMad Jazz Festival (August 2025) to extend its reach. Technology infrastructure is minimal — a Squarespace website, YouTube channel, and standard ticketing integration — consistent with a venue-and-program model rather than a platform business. Leadership comprises Executive Director Janet Luhrs (since 2013) and Artistic Director Rio Sakairi (booking since 1995), supported by a small 1-10 person staff.

Name

The Jazz Gallery

Legal name

The Jazz Gallery

Website

https://jazzgallery.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Jazz Gallery is a NYC-based non-profit jazz venue founded in 1995 that presents 300+ live performances annually and runs commissions, residencies, mentoring, fellowships, and education programs for emerging and established jazz artists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Jazz Performance Venue

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Museums (71211)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Music Clubs & Venues (MPAGAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)

Keywords

• Jazz performance venue
• Artist residencies
• Live music events
• Arts education programs
• Emerging artist support

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from advance and door ticket sales for live jazz performances at the venue. Box office operates Wednesday-Saturday 4pm-10pm.
2. Donations & Fundraising: Non-profit organization reliant on donations from supporters, monthly donors, and fundraising events including annual Honors Gala.
3. Membership Dues: Revenue from membership programs including the Jazz Connoisseur level and above for access to exclusive Salon Series events.
4. Space Rental: Revenue from renting the venue space to artists and organizations for performances and events.
5. Merchandise Sales: Revenue from Merch Store selling branded merchandise.
6. Arts Grants: Support from government arts agencies including NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, and private foundations including Jerome Foundation and Booth Ferris Foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Jazz Gallery is a non-profit jazz performance venue that presents more than 300 live jazz performances annually in an intimate setting at 1158 Broadway, New York. It commissions new work through Residency Commissions, runs Mentoring and Debut Series for emerging artists, hosts a Salon Series and Curatorial Fellowship, and delivers arts education programming (JAZZPATH and the Jazz Gallery Apprentice Program). Revenue is generated through ticket sales, memberships, donations, grants, sponsorships, merchandise, and rehearsal/performance space rentals.

Product overview

The Jazz Gallery is a non-profit jazz club and performance venue in New York City offering a portfolio of programs for emerging and established jazz artists. The core programming includes Directions in 21st Century Jazz (300+ annual performances), Residency Commissions (since 2002), TJG George Wein Fellowship, and TJG Joyce Wein Mentoring Series. Additional offerings include Jazz Composers Showcase, Margaret Whitton Award, Woodshed (free rehearsal space), Education Program, Salon Series, Vinyl Listening Series, Art Exhibitions, and the annual TJG Honors Gala. The venue also operates Space Rental, Merch Store, SummerPass, and Live at TJG Recordings. In 2025, The Jazz Gallery launched the NoMad Jazz Festival.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NoMad Jazz Festival: An inaugural jazz festival launched in August 2025, celebrating The Jazz Gallery’s 30th anniversary.
• TJG Honors Gala
• Salon Series
• Vinyl Listening Series
• Directions in 21st Century Jazz
• TJG George Wein Fellowship
• TJG Joyce Wein Mentoring Series

Products and services

• Live Jazz Performance Series A year-round schedule of more than 300 live jazz performances in an intimate 50-80 seat venue, presented for general audiences, jazz enthusiasts, and visiting patrons. The series is the venue's core offering and includes nightly concerts, weekend shows, and special events.
• Residency Commissions Commissioned multi-week residencies for emerging and mid-career jazz artists to develop and premiere new compositions, ensembles, or projects at the venue. Selected artists receive a commission and dedicated performance slots over the residency period.
• Mentoring Series A structured program pairing emerging jazz artists with established mentors for performance, feedback, and career development. Designed for early-career musicians seeking guidance on stagecraft, repertoire, and professional development.
• Debut Series A performance series providing emerging jazz artists with their first appearance at The Jazz Gallery, offering a platform to test new material and gain exposure to the venue's audience.
• Salon Series An intimate performance format hosted by The Jazz Gallery, designed for close artist-audience engagement and showcasing new or experimental work in a salon setting.
• Curatorial Fellowship A fellowship program that develops emerging curators and supports the Gallery's programming by embedding fellows in the artistic selection and commissioning process.
• JAZZPATH Education Program An arts education program that brings jazz performance and learning experiences to school-age students, connecting the venue's professional artists to youth in the community.
• Jazz Gallery Apprentice Program (J-GAP) A hands-on apprenticeship program for youth and early-career musicians, providing mentorship, performance opportunities, and exposure to the venue's professional jazz ecosystem.
• Rehearsal Space Rental Hourly rental of the venue's flexible, acoustically treated rehearsal space at 1158 Broadway, New York, marketed to outside artists, filmmakers, photographers, and production companies.
• Jazz Gallery Merchandise (Vinyl Records and Apparel) Branded merchandise including limited-edition vinyl records and apparel, sold to support the venue and showcase artist projects.
• Annual Membership Program Tiered annual memberships (Friend, Supporter, and higher giving levels) offering members benefits such as ticket discounts, priority access, and recognition, supporting the venue's non-profit operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55 new works created through commission program since 2002
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• New York City Department of Cultural AffairsmajorOthersThe Jazz Gallery's programs are supported by public funds from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. This provides essential operational funding for programming.
• New York State Council on the ArtsmajorOthersPrograms are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
• Jerome FoundationcoreOthersPrimary funder for Residency Commissions program, which grants composers and bandleaders resources to work on large-scale projects.
• Booth Ferris FoundationsupportingOthersAcknowledged for supporting The Jazz Gallery's operations and programs.
• New Music USAsupportingOthersThe Jazz Gallery was supported by New Music USA's Organization Fund in 2023-24.
• Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels FoundationsupportingOthersAcknowledged for supporting The Jazz Gallery's programs.
• Joyce & George Wein Foundation Inc.coreOthersSupports the TJG Education Program and TJG George Wein Fellowship, providing opportunities for students and established artists.
• Cornelia T. Bailey FoundationsupportingOthersSupports the TJG Education Program launched February 6, 2024.
• Howard Gilman FoundationsupportingOthersSupports the TJG George Wein Fellowship Commission program.
• Rockefeller Brothers Fund (Pocantico Center)coreOthersFellowship recipients receive two-week residency at the Pocantico Center of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund as part of the George Wein Fellowship.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Stone (at The New School): Intimate NYC venue presenting experimental and improvised music with a curated artist-residency model. Most comparable peer for the commissioning/residency program structure, though broader than pure jazz.
• Birdland Jazz Club: Major NYC jazz venue presenting headline acts and touring artists. Direct peer for ticket revenue, donor-driven programming, and competition for touring jazz bookings.
• Roulette Intermedium: Brooklyn-based non-profit presenting experimental music and performing arts with artist commissioning and residency programs. Comparable non-profit presenting model with commissioning and emerging-artist focus.
• Village Vanguard: Iconic NYC jazz club presenting both established and emerging jazz artists in an intimate venue. Direct competitor for jazz audiences, touring artist bookings, and donor/patron support in the New York market.
• Dizzy's Club: Jazz club operated within Jazz at Lincoln Center presenting ticketed performances and brunch programming. Direct venue-level peer, but with the institutional backing of a much larger parent organization.
• Smalls Jazz Club: Well-known NYC jazz venue presenting nightly live jazz with a focus on both established and emerging artists. Most directly comparable peer given similar intimate-venue scale, late-night programming, and emerging-artist focus.
• Smoke Jazz & Supper Club: Long-running NYC jazz club presenting resident and visiting artists in an intimate supper-club setting. Direct peer for ticketed live jazz performances, audience overlap, and grant-eligible programming.

Broad incumbents

• Jazz at Lincoln Center: Large New York-based non-profit presenting jazz performances, education, and artist development at institutional scale. Comparable as a presenting organization with commissions, education, and residencies, though operating at materially larger scale.
• SFJAZZ: San Francisco-based non-profit jazz presenting organization operating a major jazz venue and producing a large annual festival. Comparable non-profit presenting model with commissions, education, and ticketed programming at larger scale and different geography.

Others

• The Jazz Foundation of America: Non-profit organization supporting jazz musicians with emergency assistance, healthcare, and performance opportunities. Thematically adjacent - same NYC jazz ecosystem, different mission focus on musician welfare rather than presenting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheJazzGallery/playlists
• Facebookfacebook.com/thejazzgallery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Jazz Gallery