Who We Are

The mission of the A2 Jazz Fest is to share our love and respect for this uniquely American music by:

  1. Creating an opportunity for local musicians to present their work alongside national and international musicians.

  2. Providing education and accessibly priced entertainment to attendees, by way of live shows, master-class workshops, and community events that highlight the importance of jazz within the Ann Arbor arts scene. 

  3. Sharing Ann Arbor’s vast artistic and educational resources in support of the development of musicians throughout Washtenaw County 

  4. Leveraging the brain building power of improvisational music to act as a catalyst for learning in other areas 

  5. Co-creating and Co-facilitating exciting and engaging STEAM activities that create opportunities for inter generational mentorship and work to bring diverse communities together

How We Began

In its first year, the A2 Jazz Fest received massive amounts of support from musicians and community members. After success in 2016, founder, Dave Sharp made a goal to keep the A2 Jazz Fest as a continuing music festival that expands, improves, and evolves into the future. Although the A2 Jazz Fest was impacted heavily by COVID-19 throughout the past three years, as of 2023 the annual festival has returned to the public sphere. Like many other festivals, entertainment organizations, and social event spaces, the A2 Jazz Fest team is overjoyed to continue its work toward community impact.