VISION

The Jazz & Democracy Project® (J&D) believes jazz appreciation is essential for all American citizens and foreigners to grasp America’s essence. J&D envisions jazz studies at all levels of American schooling and in cultural diplomacy because great jazz is high art that models American democratic ideals, and engaging the jazz-as-democracy metaphor develops the interdisciplinary thinking, synthesis and analysis skills needed to confront complex 21st Century challenges in creative ways.

MISSION

The Jazz & Democracy Project® (J&D) utilizes jazz as a metaphor to cultivate a profound understanding of American democratic ideals. J&D brings American democracy to life, enriches the study and teaching of U.S. history, government, civics and culture, and inspires youth to become active, positive contributors to their communities.

THEORY OF ACTION

As an innovative, arts-integrated curriculum and professional development provider that animates democracy through the metaphor of jazz…

If The Jazz & Democracy Project® exposes students and teachers to jazz as a model of, and lens through which they can analyze American democratic ideals…

Then students and teachers will appreciate both the jazz and democratic processes, they will engage in interdisciplinary thinking, and they will develop a clearer picture of how they wish to participate in the democratic process.

J&D measures its impact in four ways.