Jazz Road

Two types of funding. One mission: get your music out there.

Jazz Road offers two grant opportunities designed to support U.S.-based jazz artists in different ways:
Jazz Road Tours and Creative Residencies.

While there are no open application cycles at this time, now is the time to start paying attention.

If you’re a musician or know one, this is your chance to:
• Explore how each program works
• Look at past awardees and projects
• Start shaping an idea that aligns with the grant

The strongest applications don’t come together overnight.

They come from artists who understand the program and take time to develop a clear, thoughtful project.

Whether you’re interested in:
• Touring and bringing your music to new audiences
• Or building a deeper, community-based creative project

Jazz Road is designed to support artist-led work at a professional level.

Visit the Jazz Road website to learn more about each program, review guidelines, and start preparing for future application cycles.

Application dates will be announced at a later time.

Featured JRT artists:
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Jazz Road is a program of funded by with support from the
Creative content by

real growth happens off stage…

At the 2026 Jazz Congress in NYC, Miki Yamanaka shared simple but real timeless advice for musicians still figuring it out and those that need a gentle reminder:
play with your friends, seek out new opportunities, and keep listening.

Growth in jazz doesn’t come from one moment. It comes from showing up, staying curious, and continuing to evolve your sound over time.

This is the mindset behind artists who are actively touring, collaborating, and building sustainable careers.
Jazz Road supports that next step.

The Miki Yamanaka Trio was a 2023 Jazz Road Tours grantee, the Jazz Road Tours grant supports artist-led touring with equitable pay and funding for travel and related expenses.

While current application cycles are closed, visit JazzRoad.org to learn more about the program, explore past awardees, and see upcoming tour dates.

🎹
🎶 Jazz Road is a program of funded by with support from the
🎥 Creative Content by

 

Celebrating International Jazz Day.

At Jazz Road, we celebrate jazz every day, but today we join in on a global celebration. Each year on April 30, International Jazz Day brings together artists, communities, and audiences around the world to recognize jazz as a powerful force for connection, dialogue, and cultural exchange.

Throughout Jazz Appreciation Month, we’ve had the opportunity to highlight Jazz Road artists bringing this mission to life, touring across the country, building community, and sharing their work with new audiences.

Through Jazz Road, artists receive funding to:
🎺 Lead their own tours across the U.S. through Jazz Road Tours
🥁 Develop new work through Creative Residencies
🎵 Engage communities through performance, outreach, and education

These programs support artist-led projects that expand access to jazz while helping artists grow sustainable careers.

To all of the artists, presenters, and audiences who have followed along with our Jazz Appreciation Month features, thank you for being part of this community.

Jazz Road is a program of funded by with support from the
Creative Content by

Connection through music, one city at a time.

For Jazz Road Tour Grantee Sofia Goodman () and the Sofia Goodman Group, their 2025 Jazz Road Tour created opportunities to explore new regions, connect with new music scenes, and give back through their performances.

Touring across the U.S., the group connected with new audiences and musicians, expanding their reach while building meaningful relationships along the way.

Featuring Matt Twaddle () on keys and Jacob Jezioro () on bass, the group’s performances reflect a collaborative and evolving approach to jazz.

As we continue celebrating Jazz Appreciation Month, we’re highlighting past Jazz Road Tours grantees and the impact of artist-led touring across the country.

Jazz Road is a program of funded by with support from the
Creative Content by

Sound shaped by place, culture, and experience.

For Jun Iida, his Jazz Road Tour brought a distinct and evolving musical voice to audiences across the Pacific Northwest.

Blending jazz, blues, hip-hop, soul, and classical influences, Iida’s work reflects a wide range of musical traditions shaped by both his upbringing and his experiences across the country.

Touring through Eugene, Bend, Langley, Tacoma, Olympia, and Salem, the Jun Iida Quartet connected with new audiences while continuing to develop and share this dynamic sound.

“The JRT grant made it possible for us to plan and execute a cohesive tour while keeping the same working band together, something that’s increasingly rare. It also gave us the flexibility to reach more rural communities we wouldn’t have otherwise accessed, and provided valuable time on the road to refine material that we later recorded in the studio.”

Featuring Jun Iida (), Jongkuk Kim (), Chris McCarthy (), Giulio Xavier Cetto (), and Masami Kuroki (), the group reflects a collaborative and evolving approach to jazz.

Looking ahead, Iida will release his sophomore album Bellflower (OA2 Records) on June 19, followed by a new recording project this September supported by Chamber Music America’s Empowerment for Impact & Growth Grant, with touring planned across the U.S., Canada, Japan, China, and Taiwan.

As we continue celebrating Jazz Appreciation Month, we’re highlighting past Jazz Road Tours grantees and the impact of artist-led touring across the U.S.

Jazz Road is a program of funded by with support from the
Creative Content by

Bringing jazz to the edge of the map.

For Svetlana Shumulyian, her Jazz Road Tour was about more than performance, it was about connection.

Supported by the Jazz Road Tours grant, she brought a 6-piece ensemble to Talkeetna, Anchorage, Cordova, Soldotna, and Homer, sharing live jazz through concerts, school outreach, and community programming in places where access is limited.

Joined on tour by Arcoiris Sandoval (), Alex Tremblay (), Henry Conerway III (), Joseph Miller (), and Al Strong (), the ensemble brought world-class musicianship to each stop along the way.

“Performing in remote communities, I connected deeply with presenters and audiences whose resilience and need for shared cultural moments reaffirmed my commitment to bringing joy and connection through music to places like this.”

Performing across Alaska’s remote communities reshaped the experience of touring, creating space for deeper connection with audiences and presenters, and reinforcing the role of jazz as a shared cultural experience.

The tour also became a turning point creatively, offering the opportunity to test new material, refine arrangements, and grow as an artist, bandleader, and songwriter.

That work continues to evolve:
• A new EP of original music in development
• Ongoing releases from her Live in Savannah sessions
• And Swing Makes You Sing! (), bringing jazz to young audiences

Through Jazz Road, artists are able to build sustainable careers while expanding access to jazz in communities across the country.

As we continue celebrating Jazz Appreciation Month, stories like this highlight the impact of investing in artists, not just for the stage, but for the communities they reach.

Jazz Road is a program of funded by with support from the
Creative Content by

What happens when artists can focus on the music, not the economic feasibility of touring? 🎺

For Jazz Road Tour grantee Riley Mulherkar, the answer is a tour built on connection, creativity, and momentum.

A Juilliard-trained trumpeter and founding member of The Westerlies, Riley Mulherkar has quickly become one of the most compelling voices in modern jazz, blending tradition with a distinctly contemporary sound.

“The ability to support the musicians and organize the tour in a way that prioritized the music instead of the economics of touring in 2025 was revolutionary.”

His 2025 Jazz Road tour brought the Riley Mulherkar Jazz Quartet to Santa Cruz, Oakland, and Sun Valley, connecting with new audiences and creating space for the music to take center stage.

The impact extended beyond the performances, leading to new bookings and building momentum toward recording his next album in 2026.

As part of Jazz Appreciation Month, we’re highlighting artists like Riley Mulherkar who are bringing live jazz to communities across the country through the Jazz Road Tour and Creative Residency Grants.

Jazz Road is a national music grant program that offers grants for musicians to support touring and creative residencies, helping artists reach new audiences, expand their work, and sustain their careers.

Riley Mulherkar Quartet Featuring:
• Riley Mulherkar — trumpet
• Chris Pattishall — piano
• Barry Stephenson — bass
• Jason Burger — drums

Jazz Road is a program of funded by support from the
Creative Content by

 

More than a performance.

For Jazz Road Tour grantee Lori Williams, the 2025 Jazz Road Tour was about connection, mentorship, and bringing live jazz directly into communities.

Featuring:
• Lori Williams ( ) — vocals
• Tyrone Jackson ( ) — piano/keys
• Kelly McCarty ( ) — bass
• Robert Boone Jr. ( ) — drums

An acclaimed international jazz vocalist, educator, and performer, Lori Williams brings over three decades of experience to the stage, using her work to create meaningful engagement beyond the performance through student workshops, university masterclasses, and direct mentorship with emerging musicians.

Her 2025 Jazz Road Tour spanned Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, with performances and educational outreach at universities, churches, and community spaces, connecting directly with students and audiences who may not regularly have access to live jazz. 

“Each performance is more than a concert — it’s an invitation to experience the history, emotion, and cultural depth of jazz.” -

As part of Jazz Appreciation Month, we’re highlighting artists like Lori Williams, including women in jazz who are shaping the future of the art form, through the Jazz Road Tour and Creative Residency Grants.

Jazz Road is a national music grant program that offers grants for musicians to support touring, live performance, and creative residencies, helping jazz artists reach new audiences, expand their impact, and sustain their careers.

While there are no current application cycles open, this is a great time for artists to begin thinking about future tours, researching past Jazz Road grantees, and exploring what it takes to bring a project like this to life. You can also support a Jazz Road Tour in your area and learn more at JazzRoad.org. Keep an eye out for updates on upcoming Jazz Road Tour and Creative Residency cycles.

Jazz Road is a program of funded by the support from the
Creative Content by

🚨 ARTISTS (music/visual/dance etc..) What information do you wish you knew about Grants?
For example,
Do you wish you knew where to find more information on them?
How to write them?
How to make budgets?
How to come up with a project that grantors would find?
If you have these or other questions please comment them below 👇🏾
Thank you so much! 🙂