LJC celebrates 30 years in 2026!
Time flies when you’re making great music, educating students, and bringing joy!
The coming year, 2026, marks the 45th year of the founding of Litchfield Performing Arts, the 31st Litchfield Jazz Festival and the 30th year of Litchfield Jazz Camp. I’d like you to think about that for a minute. This is a stunning accomplishment in and of itself, and more so when you consider we are a stand-alone not-for-profit. We don’t have a “parent” with deep pockets, BUT we have you! In good times and challenging times, YOU, our supporters, have helped pick up the slack, the portion of expenses we might not be able to cover with tuitions, ticket sales, or grants. Ticket sales for shows in our industry rarely cover more than 60 – 70% of costs. Sure, we could make money on camp tuitions if money-making were the goal. But then we would have to accept only rich kids. We don’t do that because our mission is to serve every student regardless of means. We’ve met that goal for the past 29 years, taking 20-25% of campers according to their desires, not their means, and NEVER turning one away.
This year our board of directors established a fund in my honor to cover camper need, instructor salaries and the like. They raised $100,000 (most realized and some pledged), money that is NOT intended to balance our current budget. They called it the Vita Muir Fund for Educational Enhancement and invested it with the NW CT Community Foundation. The expectation is that it will grow over time and help with camps in the future.
I want to be clear that the request we are making is for our annual appeal— donations that meet the needs of NOW. We will need your generous gifts and gifts of whatever you can afford to keep this engine running. Our work goes on. Concerts are scheduled at two venues, the Poli Club and the Milton Congregational Church. The third Litchfield Jazz Camp Talent Search happens on March 7 and awards winner scholarships. This is a lovely afternoon filled with music and youthful enthusiasm. It is open for free to the public as are 20 Jazz Camp Faculty Concerts throughout July. Last, but never least, Litchfield Jazz Festival is set for July 24 – 26. The full lineup will be announced very soon. For now, I can say, it is a tribute to the 30th Anniversary of the Camp, with stellar players bookended by great parties. Join us!
Now, we are humbly asking for your help as we do each year at this time to balance an $865,000 budget for the 2025-2026 season. If history is any teacher, your support will cover 8% of that amount. Please give as generously as you can and help us meet that goal.
PS. A Reminder: If you are 70 ½ or older, you can donate to LPA from your IRA without having to pay taxes on the withdrawal.
With gratitude and love,
Vita West Muir
Founder, Executive & Artistic Director