News Briefs: Generation Gap to headline Feb. 3 New Trier Jazz Festival; Village of Winnetka Public Works gets solar panels; County opens grant program to arts nonprofits

The New Trier Jazz Festival returns next Saturday, Feb. 3, with another compelling lineup of musical talent.

The Grammy Award-winning Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra, led by Steven Feifke and Bijon Watson, will headline the 41st annual event that will also feature more than 40 jazz ensembles from high schools and middle schools across the country.

Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra, which features compositions by Feifke and the lead trumpet of Watson, was the 2023 Grammy recipient for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.

The performance by Generation Gap is at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, in Gaffney Auditorium at New Trier’s Winnetka campus, 385 Winnetka Ave. Tickets are $40 and on sale now online.

Daytime events are free and open to the public. A full schedule can be found online.

“We are honored to feature the Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra at this year’s Jazz Fest,” said Nic Meyer, New Trier’s director of jazz ensembles. “I’m so excited to host this diverse, all-star ensemble that puts on display all the energy of the current generation of jazz musicians in creative cooperation with their mentors. I know our audience is going to love their music and be dazzled by their performance. I’m especially excited for all of the students to hear and be inspired by this band.”

The New Trier Jazz Festival celebrates generations of jazz musicians. By providing students with the opportunity to perform alongside professional jazz talents, attend workshops and master classes, and take in concerts, the festival aims to inspire and enrich the next generation of jazz lovers.

For more information, contact Meyer at  meyern@newtrier.k12.il.us.

Solar panels installed at Winnetka Public Works

Solar panels have been installed on the Village of Winnetka’s Public Works facilities at 1390 Willow Road, an initiative that officials say will reduce the building’s electricity consumption by 6.8 percent.

The new solar panel system will produce about 212,000 kilowatt hours of electricity over the course of a year. The Village has a list of resources for residents interested in solar panels, including the ability to view the output of the solar panels on SolarEdge’s website.

To learn more about solar panels, visit the Village’s website.

$1.5M in Cook County grants open to suburban arts nonprofits

The Cook County Bureau of Economic Development has launched a grant program that will provide $1.5 million to suburban arts and culture nonprofits.

The Nonprofit Relief Grant Program is part of the $5 million Cook County Arts initiative, which was funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, according to a release from the county.

The arts sector was hit hard during the pandemic, and the nonprofit arts organizations that fall under this new program are working to make up for lost revenue for a variety of reasons. The program is designed to help these organizations mitigate the lingering effects of the pandemic and support their work.

Eligible nonprofit arts organizations can apply for a $5,000 or $10,000 grant depending on the size of their operating budget. In order to be eligible, they must be a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization located in suburban Cook County with a primary mission focused on arts and culture programming.

“Suburban nonprofit arts organizations have not had access to significant COVID-19 recovery resources, and Cook County aims to fill this gap for the cultural sector,” County President Toni Preckwinkle said in a statement. “Culture and creativity serve as critical elements in thriving communities as they provide opportunities for joy, human connection and affirmation. Cook County is committed to exploring ways to build support for the cultural sector into our ongoing community-building initiatives.”

Applications for the grants are open now, and the deadline to apply is Feb. 29. The Cook County Bureau of Economic Development is partnering with Arts Alliance Illinois to host informational webinars and provide direct support to applicants throughout the grant period. For more information, visit the Cook County Arts Nonprofit Relief Grant website.

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