Ventura Music Festival Endowment Fund

Established by:  Ventura Music Festival Association

Established on:  February 8, 2006

Purpose of the fund:  The primary purpose of the Fund shall be to support the Festival’s mission of bringing world-renowned classical, jazz and “crossover” concerts to Ventura and offering an exceptional educational outreach program to youth in Ventura County.

Background: The Ventura Music Festival was founded in 1994 as a response to a city cultural planning process that identified a need for a cultural festival in the city’s historic downtown core.  The Festival presents an annual series of nationally renowned classical, jazz and “crossover” artists over 10 days in early May.  Additional concerts have been added to reach and attract a broader audience, including a Latin Jazz Concert in February and additional “crossover” concerts in the fall and winter months.  The first Latin Festival will be presented in the fall of 2010. Over 10,000 concertgoers enjoy the Festival concerts throughout the year.

The Festival offers an extensive educational outreach program to students in Ventura County, spearheaded by Artistic Director Nuvi Mehta.  This consists of a “Music in the Schools” program for elementary students in over 24 elementary schools (mostly Title 1), Casa Pacifica, and five local Boys & Girls Clubs.  A Student Jazz Competition is held every year for high school students in conjunction with February’s Latin Jazz concert and master classes and concerts are offered for middle and high school students with Festival artists.   Since 2009, a special one-day program is presented to incarcerated youth at the Steven Z. Perren Juvenile Justice Facility.  Over 4,000 youth are reached every year.

For more information regarding the Ventura Music Festival, please visit their website:  http://www.venturamusicfestival.org/