Jazz at Five Cancels the 2020 Performance Series, but Sponsors Continue to Support the Local Jazz Community

MADISON Wis., July 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- 2020 has been a roller coaster of a year – no one has escaped the impact of COVID-19, and that includes Jazz at Five.  The Jazz at Five Board postponed a decision on the upcoming Jazz season for as long as possible, but time has run out and with great reluctance and sadness, we are canceling the 2020 Performance Series.  2020 will be the first year since 1993 without Jazz on the corner of State Street and the Capitol Square, under our beautiful Wisconsin summer skies.  Unfortunately, it is the only decision that made sense for the safety of our performers and patrons.

In recognition of the devastating impact COVID-19 is having on the performing arts community, the Jazz at Five Board reached out to all our 2019 sponsors and asked for their support so we could compensate our local performers and youth jazz organizations despite the cancelation.  We are proud to announce that almost half our annual sponsors generously stepped up to support this effort!  We are extremely grateful to MG&E, Saiki Designs, Kegonsa Capital Partners and Inventure Capital for maintaining their full sponsorship levels; while Associated Bank, Oregon Community Bank, McGrath Property Group, the Concourse Hotel, Foley Law, Semba Biosciences and the Mendota Group all contributed half-sponsorships.

With support from these phenomenal sponsors, Jazz at Five can pay our local performers and youth performance groups 50% of their 2020 performance fees, despite the no show COVID-19 environment.

Thank you again to our sponsors, and we look forward to the return of the Jazz at Five Performance Series in August 2021.

About Jazz at Five, Inc.  The first Jazz at Five performing series was in 1993.  Jazz at Five is a nonprofit 501 c 3 corporation. Our mission is to make Madison a better place to be and visit by providing live jazz events free to the public. We promote awareness of the jazz art form and increase local community culture with performer diversity, enhanced visibility for our local jazz artists and public performance opportunities for area youth musical groups."  www.jazzatfive.org 

Contact:    Ken Johnson, Board Member          608-770-4542
                 Spencer Stanbery, Event Director    920-290-1266 

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SOURCE Jazz at Five