The mission of SOJP.INC is to better the lives of underserved children in our community and foster the vitality of the arts for all. In particular, we will focus on school programs. after school programs, building audiences for the arts, literacy and quality entertainment concentrating on the genres of jazz and poetry, both virtual and via annual “LIVE” events.

SOJPINC wants to embark on initiatives to develop practical insights into how we could successfully expand our audience. The initiative seeks in particular to probe these questions:

Can SOJPINC embed audience-building activities into our operations, so newcomers become repeat attendees and don’t show up once and never to return?

How can SOJPINC improve literacy using poetry and jazz awareness as building blocks in the community we serve?

VISION
The concept of the show is based on pairing jazz musicians and poetic contemporaries. During each online program, brief biographical information is provided on each featured artist, as well as the inclusion of selected tracks of the artist’s performance. Additionally, interviews with featured artists are conducted, recorded and made available to listeners on the website. Detailed information about the featured artists can be viewed on the SOJP website’s “Liner Notes” page.

Through the provision of recorded virtual and live shows highlighting jazz and poetry, Spotlight on Jazz and Poetry hopes to provide a source of information and entertainment for those individuals who not only are patrons of these arts, but to also serve as a beacon for those interested or wishing to practice these long standing art forms. By incorporating traditional and contemporary jazz and poetic art, as well as established and new artists in these genres, it is the intent of Spotlight on Jazz and Poetry to keep the genres timeless and significant in mainstream cultures.

CORE VALUES 

• Excellence
• Integrity
• Mutual Respect
• Commitment to Education
• Acceptance