Indy Jazz Fest
Indy Jazz Fest is a 501(c)(3) annual jazz festival produced by the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation, presenting Grammy-winning and emerging jazz artists across five Indianapolis venues over five days (Sept 22-26, 2026), funded through ticket sales, corporate sponsorships led by Citizens Energy Group, and foundation and government grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersIndianapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Indy Jazz Fest does
Indy Jazz Fest is an annual jazz music festival produced by the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana (PO Box 20857, Indianapolis IN 46220). The 2026 edition runs September 22-26 and is structured as a five-day, multi-venue event staged across The Jazz Kitchen, The Cabaret, The Vogue, Indy Art Center/Opti Park, and Turntable. Programming features approximately 15 named performers and ensembles, including Grammy-winning and nationally recognized jazz artists such as Sheila E. & The E-Train, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, MonoNeon, two-time Grammy winner Nicole Zuraitis, Tito Puente Jr., Nestor Torres, the Charlie Hunter Trio, and heritage tribute programs (Miles Davis at 100, Coltrane at 100). Audience segments are jazz enthusiasts and the broader Indianapolis arts community, with group sales available for parties of 20 or more.
The underlying technology footprint is minimal and non-proprietary: the festival operates on a Squarespace-hosted website (indyjazzfest.net), uses a third-party calendar/ticketing platform (calendar.indyjazzfest.net), and integrates with venue partner box offices (e.g., The Cabaret's vbotickets). No APIs, proprietary platform, mobile app, or digital product is disclosed. The organization is not venture-backed, has no disclosed institutional investors or funding rounds, and operates as a community-rooted cultural institution rather than a technology or venture-scale entity.
The revenue model is a hybrid of three streams typical of a mid-sized arts non-profit: (1) ticket sales for individual performances and festival passes via online and venue box-office channels; (2) corporate sponsorship revenue, anchored by Citizens Energy Group as sole presenting sponsor and a tier of principal sponsors including Eskenazi Health, IU Health, Gilley's Antique Mall, Foley Abbott Steele, and Taft Law Firm; and (3) institutional grants and individual donations from foundations and government arts agencies including the National Endowment for the Arts, Indiana Arts Commission, Lilly Endowment, Central Indiana Community Foundation, Allen-Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation, Nicholas H. Noyes Jr. Memorial Foundation, and the Arthur Jordan Foundation. Marketing is executed through the website, an Indianapolis Jazz Foundation email list, social media (hashtag #IndyJazzFest2026), and media partnerships with 88.7 WICR-FM and WFYI Indianapolis.
Indy Jazz Fest firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Indy Jazz Fest
- Legal name
- Indianapolis Jazz Foundation, Inc.
- Website
- https://indyjazzfest.net
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Indy Jazz Fest is a 501(c)(3) annual jazz festival produced by the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation, presenting Grammy-winning and emerging jazz artists across five Indianapolis venues over five days (Sept 22-26, 2026), funded through ticket sales, corporate sponsorships led by Citizens Energy Group, and foundation and government grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Indy Jazz Fest industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Music Festival
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Music & Dance Festivals (Non-Commercial/Local) (MPAGAEAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)
Keywords
Where Indy Jazz Fest is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Indianapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Indy Jazz Fest business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from ticket sales for individual performances and festival passes across multiple venue events.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Presenting sponsor (Citizens Energy Group) and principal sponsors (Gilley's, Foley Abbott Steele) provide financial support in exchange for brand visibility and association with the festival.
- Donations: Individual donor contributions accepted via the website and mail. The organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, with donations going directly toward programming and production.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Indy Jazz Fest product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Indy Jazz Fest is an annual five-day jazz music festival presented by the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation across multiple Indianapolis venues. The core offering consists of ticketed live concert performances by world-class jazz artists at venues including The Jazz Kitchen, The Cabaret, The Vogue, Indy Art Center/Opti Park, and Turntable, culminating in a Grand Finale event. Supporting programs include a charitable donation program and a volunteer engagement initiative.
Product overview
Indy Jazz Fest is a five-day annual jazz music festival presented by the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation, operating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The festival serves as Indianapolis's premier celebration of jazz, featuring world-class artists performing across multiple venues including The Jazz Kitchen, The Cabaret, The Vogue, Indy Art Center, and Turntable. The core offering is the annual festival (Indy Jazz Fest 2026 running September 22-26), which includes individual concert performances, the Grand Finale event, and supporting donation and volunteer programs. The festival showcases both legendary performers and emerging jazz voices, combining ticketed events with community programming.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Indy Jazz Fest 2026 Festival A five-day annual jazz music festival in Indianapolis featuring ticketed performances by world-class jazz artists across multiple venues, designed for jazz enthusiasts and cultural attendees.
- Festival Concert Performances Individual ticketed concert events featuring specific artists (e.g., Miles at 100, Coltrane at 100, Tito Puente Jr. & Néstor Torres, Nicole Zuraitis, The Big Beat Drum Spectacular) performed at designated festival venues, available for separate ticket purchase.
- Grand Finale Concert The culminating outdoor concert event of the festival featuring multiple headlining artists on a single day at Indy Art Center/Opti Park, with gates opening at 1 PM and bands starting at 2 PM.
Companies that use Indy Jazz Fest
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Indy Jazz Fest technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Indy Jazz Fest partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Citizens Energy GroupcorePresenting sponsor of Indy Jazz Fest 2026. Citizens Energy Group provides primary financial support in exchange for prominent brand visibility as the festival's presenting sponsor, including logo placement on the website homepage and festival materials.
- Gilley's Antique MallmajorPrincipal sponsor providing financial support for the festival.
- Foley Abbott SteelemajorPrincipal sponsor providing financial support for the festival.
- The Tallison HotelmajorOfficial hotel partner of Indy Jazz Fest 2026, providing lodging accommodations for festival performers and attendees.
- The Jazz KitchencorePrimary venue partner for the festival, hosting multiple performances including Miles at 100, Coltrane at 100, and Tito Puente Jr. & Néstor Torres shows. Located at 5377 N College Avenue, Indianapolis.
- The CabaretcoreVenue partner presenting Nicole Zuraitis performance on September 25. Located at 924 N Pennsylvania St Ste B, Indianapolis.
- The VoguecoreVenue partner hosting The Big Beat - Triple Bill Drum Spectacular featuring Nate Smith, Break Science, and The Nth Power on September 25.
- Indy Art CentercoreVenue partner hosting the Grand Finale on September 26 at Opti Park location (820 E 67th Street).
- TurntablecoreVenue partner hosting the Indy Jazz Fest Afterset featuring Fonville x Fribush on September 26.
- Percussive Arts SocietymajorPowered by Percussive Arts Society - provides organizational backing and visibility for The Big Beat drum spectacular event.
- 88.7 WICR-FMmajorOfficial arts & community partner and radio station providing media coverage and promotional support for the festival.
- WFYI IndianapolismajorOfficial arts & community partner and public media station providing media coverage and promotional support.
- FG Creative StudiosmajorArts & community partner providing website development and digital services. Listed as the company that built the Indy Jazz Fest website.
- Inspire Music CollectiveminorArts & community partner representing local music education and artist development organization.
- The Penrod SocietyminorArts & community partner supporting the festival as a local arts organization.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Indy Jazz Fest competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Newport Jazz Festival: The original and largest U.S. jazz festival brand. Comparable in core activity (multi-day jazz programming) but operates at materially larger scale, longer history, and broader national/international recognition.
- SFJAZZ: Year-round jazz presenting organization with a major dedicated venue. Comparable as a 501(c)(3) jazz presenting brand with foundation and corporate sponsorship, though at materially larger scale and operating a permanent facility.
- Monterey Jazz Festival: Long-running 501(c)(3) jazz festival with educational programming and foundation funding — a relevant peer for non-profit operating structure and curatorial heritage, but with significantly larger scale and West Coast reach.
Regional players
- Cincinnati Music Festival: Midwest-based multi-day music festival serving a comparable Midwestern audience, with shared regional sponsor base and similar scale tier, though focused on R&B rather than jazz.
- St. Louis Jazz Festival: Midwestern regional jazz festival with similar city-scale programming, comparable multi-venue format, and overlapping foundation/sponsor audiences.
Direct peers
- Catalina Jazz Festival: Annual multi-day jazz festival operating as a non-profit with comparable scale, foundation backing, and multi-stage city-based programming model.
- Detroit Jazz Festival: Free, multi-stage urban jazz festival with similar scale, multi-venue footprint, and reliance on corporate/foundation sponsorship. Direct Midwestern peer for benchmarking programming and audience scale.
- Savannah Music Festival: Annual multi-venue spring music festival operating as a 501(c)(3) with similar scale, foundation sponsor mix, and ticketed multi-day programming model.
- DC Jazz Festival: Annual multi-venue jazz festival in a major U.S. city operating on a similar scale tier and non-profit model, with comparable foundation/corporate sponsor profile.
- Chicago Jazz Festival: Annual free citywide jazz festival across multiple Chicago venues with comparable multi-day, multi-stage format and similar non-profit/community-driven operating model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Indy Jazz Fest social profiles
Digital presenceIndy Jazz Fest financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Indy Jazz Fest leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Indy Jazz Fest funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Indy Jazz Fest M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Indy Jazz Fest
What does Indy Jazz Fest do?
Indy Jazz Fest is an annual five-day jazz music festival presented by the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation across multiple Indianapolis venues. The core offering consists of ticketed live concert performances by world-class jazz artists at venues including The Jazz Kitchen, The Cabaret, The Vogue, Indy Art Center/Opti Park, and Turntable, culminating in a Grand Finale event. Supporting programs include a charitable donation program and a volunteer engagement initiative.
Is Indy Jazz Fest a public or private company?
Indy Jazz Fest is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Indy Jazz Fest founded?
Indy Jazz Fest was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Indy Jazz Fest based?
Indy Jazz Fest is headquartered in Indianapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Indy Jazz Fest make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships and donations.
Who are Indy Jazz Fest's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Newport Jazz Festival, SFJAZZ and Monterey Jazz Festival. Regional players are Cincinnati Music Festival and St. Louis Jazz Festival. Direct peers are Catalina Jazz Festival, Detroit Jazz Festival, Savannah Music Festival, DC Jazz Festival and Chicago Jazz Festival.
Does Indy Jazz Fest have an API?
No public API is recorded for Indy Jazz Fest.
What industry is Indy Jazz Fest in?
Indy Jazz Fest's product category is Live Music Festival. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAEAH, Community Music & Dance Festivals (Non-Commercial/Local), with a secondary code of THAJAFAA, Concerts & Music Festivals. Its NAICS code is 711310 and its SIC code is 7990.