DEAR DIRECTOR'S CIRCLE FRIENDS,

Jefferson Center has had a remarkable year and accomplished much with regard to long term planning efforts that will propel us as a premier performing arts and cultural engagement center.  I am excited to share with you the following progress we have made with several major undertakings:

• Completion of a five-year strategic plan through 2028
• Completion of an extensive capital needs assessment led by Hughes Associates Architects & Engineers
• Completion of a comprehensive Historic Theater Analysis of peer institutions with successful public/private partnerships
• Engagement of The Curtis Group to conduct a campaign feasibility study that is currently underway 
• Completion of a program review with recommendations for The Harry and Lavon Webb Education Center. This study was conducted by two outstanding consultants, one of whom is the former Executive Director of the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

My team and I are now in the process of carefully assimilating this information to identify and prioritize our significant work over the next five years and for decades to come.  In doing so, I am keenly focused on balancing issues of current capacity with future sustainability and growth, while serving our multi-faceted mission responsibly, creatively, and ethically.

As we move forward in distinguishing Jefferson Center as a premier organization, I am often asked what we mean by premier.  Simply put, I believe being premier means being values-driven and working to excel at everything we do. Jefferson Center is guided by organizational values centered on service, gratitude, integrity, innovation, authenticity, quality, and compassion.  Our team is committed to keeping these core values foundational to every program and service we offer and every relationship we maintain.

I believe that now, more than ever, Jefferson Center is poised to celebrate our unique role in the community and create opportunities for increased capacity and exceptional service.  As we near completion of the information gathering stage in our planning process, we are in possession of important data points that can inspire aspirational thinking and lay the groundwork for new possibilities in mission delivery.



I look forward to sharing what we learn as our calibration continues.   As a member of the Director’s Circle, your input, involvement, and support will continue to allow Jefferson Center to be the very best we can be.  

ANNUAL REPORT

I am pleased to share with you our most recent annual report that highlights our accomplishments for fiscal year 2021-22.  As a major supporter, your leadership has allowed us to accomplish much.  I am also thankful for the qualified and passionate team of individuals that work tirelessly to support our mission. I hope you find their messages informative and encouraging.

SEASON SPOTLIGHTS

We presented the following acclaimed artists through Jefferson Center Presents in March and April. AJ Croce, son of Jim Croce, took the stage on March 30 for Croce Plays Croce. He played a blend of his own compositions as a singer-songwriter, as well as favorites from his father's songbook for a sold out show in Shaftman Performance Hall.

Another sold out show followed on April 17 with indie folk-rock/chamber pop star Father John Misty. A showman in the truest sense of the word, his warm baritone and witty banter complimented his tight band and impressive light show. 

On April 19, we were honored to host 6 of the hottest names in modern jazz for Monterey Jazz Festival On Tour. This finale of our Main Stage Jazz series featured Tony and Grammy Award winning vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, Grammy Award winning vocalist Kurt Elling, rising star saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin, visionary pianist Christian Sands, accomplished bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and critically acclaimed drummer Clarence Penn. 

Meshell Ndegeocello closed a week of stellar music on April 21 with the final show in our Star City Series. Her eclectic and genre defying style included R&B, folk, funk, rock, and spoken word. Soft and sweet in the beginning, the show crescendoed into a lush and layered sound that prompted thunderous applause and an encore. 

A. J. Croce

Father John Misty

Monterey Jazz Festival

Meshelle Ndegeocello

CONFIDENTIAL

2023-2024 SNEAK PEEK

Next year’s season is taking shape!  Below is a sampling of the artists who have already been booked.  This information is confidential until our public announcement in July, so please keep it under wraps!  I hope you will mark your calendar and plan to join us for these amazing performances and many others.

BRANDEE

YOUNGER

Thursday

Sept 14

2023

LEE FIELDS

& THE EXPRESSIONS

Friday

Sept 29

2023

EMMET

COHEN

Saturday

March 16

2024

THE HARRY AND LAVON WEBB

EDUCATION CENTER

Jefferson Center’s education programs have gained significant momentum this year.



Music Lab, our signature after school program serving 6^th through 12^th grade, is currently serving 70+ students through group instruction and private lessons with trained, professional musicians.

Student performance bands are also gearing up for public performances. The Gospel Band, shown above in Washington D.C., completed two public performances at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church for a Black History Month performance. Other student bands are practicing for their first public performance at Martin’s Downtown on Saturday, May 13, 2023 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. These students will be performing many of their own songs and covers from groups like The Ramones, Fleetwood Mac, and Foo Fighters! This event is open to the public so plan to come and cheer them on! 

Outreach Out Loud has grown leaps and bounds and provided after school programming for more than 115 students, some weekly! This includes partnerships with West End Center for Youth, Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Virginia, YMCA Beacons program, as well as 6 Roanoke City schools that were served through 21^st Century funding. Most of these groups have written and recorded their own original songs!

BEHIND-THE-SCENES TOUR

Jefferson Center recently hosted a private donor event that provided a behind-the-scenes tour of Shaftman Performance Hall, Fostek Hall, and the Harry and Lavon Webb Education Center. Participants enjoyed seeing how the building is structured to support the dynamic work of the performing arts and community events. They also were able to walk through the setup of Virginia Children’s Theater’s production of James and the Giant Peach.  We greatly value our partnerships with local arts organizations who use our community stages and appreciate the opportunity to help them bring their vision to reality.

DIRECTOR'S CIRCLE DONORS

Director’s Circle gifts are vital to our success, accounting for 80 percent of annual donations. If you know someone who might be interested in finding out more about how they can support performing arts and education experiences at Jefferson Center, please let us know!

Thank you to the following donors whose generous support of Jefferson Center’s mission makes the unique and extraordinary work we do possible. The listing below recognizes people who have made a gift July 1, 2022 – April 27, 2023.