Monterey Jazz
Donate
Monterey Jazz
Donate
Donations are the life blood of Monterey Jazz. Your generosity helps us inspire and support the next generation of jazz musicians, attract top instructional talent, and sign big acts for our annual festival. You choose where your contributions go!
Our Friend of the Festival program donors are friends to all of the talented musicians they support. In recognition of their generous contributions, we provide exclusive perks and opportunities at our annual festival. Some qualifications and restrictions apply.
“The All-Star program has enriched my musical knowledge and expanded my versatility as a performer. Collaborating with instrumentalists has taught me invaluable lessons in musical adaptation and focus. Witnessing world-renowned musicians at the Monterey Jazz Festival was a transformative experience, and it inspired me to integrate these insights into my own performances, fostering my growth as a musician and reinforcing my belief in the power of inspiration and resilience both on and off stage.” – Dayci Dishni, Regional All-Star Vocal Ensemble
Not everyone wants to contribute to Monterey Jazz in the same way. We offer many programs depending on how you want to give. See below.
Sponsor a jazz great or an up-and-coming talent! Your gift contributes to our world-class festival and brings international and national talent to Monterey while supporting the next generation of jazz artists.
Make a personal connection with an Monterey Jazz artists while ensuring the professional and artistic growth of all Monterey artists. Your contribution supports Monterey Jazz’s comprehensive, year-round jazz education and mentorship programs. Help us give young musicians access to one-on-one support from true jazz legends and professional jazz artists in a way that only Monterey Jazz can provide!
Sponsorships range between $1,000 and $20,000.
To sponsor an artist, please contact us at [email protected] or 831.233.3711.
The mission of the Jazz Legacy Circle is to ensure the perpetuity of Monterey Jazz by supporting its delivery of quality performances and year-round jazz education programs through planned giving opportunities. Membership requires completion of the Jazz Legacy Circle sign up form indicating your commitment to make a provision for Monterey Jazz through a bequest or other planned gift.
If you have included Monterey Jazz in a bequest, we thank you for your generosity and hope that you will inform the Development Office at 831.233.3711 or e-mail [email protected] to be listed as a member of the Jazz Legacy Circle, inspiring others to follow your example.
Jazz Legacy Circle members:
The simplest way to donate publicly traded stocks to the Monterey Jazz is to have your broker transfer shares electronically to Monterey Jazz’s brokerage account:
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
Attn: Securities Operations
Receiving Account Number: 6987-2485
Schwab DTC: 0164 Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
1945 Northwestern Drive
El Paso, TX 79912
Tax ID: 94-6036515
Once you’ve made the decision to transfer stock Monterey Jazz, we ask that you notify our Development Team at 831.233.3711 or [email protected].
Notifying us that the transfer is occurring is very important; it is the only way we can credit you for the donation, as your name does not transfer with the stock.
The Monterey Jazz Festival will credit you for the value of the stock based on an average of the highest and lowest quoted selling prices on the day that your stock donation is received into Monterey Jazz’s account. We make every effort to sell the stock immediately upon receipt. For income tax purposes, your donation is completed on the day your broker transfers it to Monterey Jazz’s account. Thus, you should always consult your tax advisor regarding the actual amount of your deduction and the date of the contribution.
The Monterey Jazz Festival does not provide tax or legal advice. Please consult with your tax advisor on the tax implications of your charitable gifts.
Biff Smith, a director on Monterey Jazz Festival’s Board from 1993-95, was a beloved Monterey Peninsula English teacher, coach, composer, and jazz pianist who passed away in the summer of 2024.
Biff had a 60-year career in jazz and helped form the band Along Came Betty in 1998 to celebrate the spirit of hard bop. Along Came Betty played Monterey Jazz Festival five times from 1999-2017. Known for his wonderful sense of humor and the Corgis who often accompanied him, Biff’s memory and influence will be felt for many years to come in the hearts of the jazz pianists he inspired at Berklee College of Music and on the Monterey Peninsula.
His loving wife Camille has established the Biff Smith Jazz Piano Endowment Fund at the Monterey Jazz Festival in his memory.
If you prefer to mail your gift, please fill out and return the printable Donation Form. Mail to Monterey Jazz, P.O. Box JAZZ, Monterey CA 93942. Monterey Jazz is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our Federal Tax Identification Number is 94-6036515.
Your donation is tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Questions? Call 831.373.3366 or contact us.
To qualify for Friend of the Festival benefits, new festival ticket buyers must join one of the above levels to secure same seats or better for next year. Contributions are cumulative through the calendar year and can support various initiatives and need not be paid all at once. At time of purchase, new ticket buyers are invited to join one of the donor levels in order to qualify for priority renewal the following year. Single-day and one-time purchasers are not eligible for priority renewal next year. Friend of the Festival donor gifts are tax deductible.
Original order must be renewed to qualify for the exchange for different seat opportunity. There may be a balance due if exchanging for seats at a higher price level.
Presale is after renewal and seat exchange period, but before public on-sale or other pre-sales.
Guests that renewed arena package seats in 2019 and again in 2022 and every year since are grandfathered into being a Friend of the Festival as long as you continue to renew your full weekend arena package annually. If renewals are not kept annually, the grandfathered status will be lost. The grandfathered status does not transfer with the transfer of seats to another guest. Guests purchasing arena packages for the first time in 2022 or after or a break in renewing will be required to make the minimum $150 donation annually in order to renew.
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