Community Jazz: A Vital Chapter in the Success Story of the Saint Lucia Jazz Festival

Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA) CEO Louis Lewis captured it perfectly this week: “There is no other festival that has this sort of model. So our success here really adds to Saint Lucia as a tourism destination.”

The model he speaks of? The Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival, which has evolved over the years by intentionally embracing community-driven events – a strategy that has fuelled its sustained growth.

What began in 1992 as a modest effort to attract visitors during a traditionally slow season has blossomed into a world-class event and a major economic force.

There is less jazz now and a mix of other genres, but it is undeniable that the festival’s success is linked to the widespread support and participation of communities across the country.

This week, the SLTA hosted its first-ever press conference and cheque presentation for the community partners staging events this year – a powerful testament to their integral role.

This year, community jazz events will be hosted in Babonneau and Monchy in the North, Bexon in South Castries, Anse La Raye in the West, Soufriere, Choiseul and Vieux Fort encompassing the southern quadrant, and Micoud and Desruisseux in the East.

While some events are free, others will require an admission fee. Regional headliners will make appearances, but the spotlight remains firmly on Saint Lucian talent.

“It is vital for us that the communities, in putting together their roster for their lineup, to engage community artistes so as to give them the exposure and the experience to make their way onto the mainstage,” SLTA Chairman Thaddeus Antoine says.

The Community Tourism Agency’s CEO Dahliah Guard sees the community events as generating economic activity not only for local performers but also for small property and Airbnb owners, restaurateurs, tour operators and artisans. The ripple effect extends to decor specialists, DJs, sound technicians and caterers, further energising the local economy.

Community Jazz began as a way to bring the festival’s magic to every corner of the island and drum up excitement for the mainstage shows at Pigeon Island. You can say: Mission accomplished.

Originally called “fringe jazz events,” many of these gatherings have outgrown the label and even some venues, earning respect and recognition from patrons and organisers alike.

Events like Fond D’or Jazz with past headliners like Kassav, Balenbouche with acts like Carimi, and more recently Soufriere and Monchy Jazz, at times rivalled mainstage events for mass appeal, attendance and even quality performances.   

Then there was Jazz on the Square, a free event once organised by the Chamber of Commerce that brought Castries to a virtual standstill.

Jazz at Pointe Seraphine, Team Time Jazz at La Place Carenage and Jazz on the Bay have all added to the fervour over the years.

By embracing these grassroots events, organisers have fostered an organic, islandwide passion for jazz by engaging a cross-section of Saint Lucians.

Communities have done what no influencer can do, offering a true feel of the nation to visitors and becoming unsung ambassadors for the festival.

Local businesses, large and small, schools and other institutions have also embraced the jazz spirit over the years – staging unofficial supportive events of their own.

Since the festival’s 2013 rebranding as the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival, there has been a stronger push to weave arts and heritage into community events.

Taking the lead on the arts component has been the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF), which transitioned Jazz on the Square into Art & the City, a celebration of local creativity.

According to Raymona Henry-Wynne, the executive director of the CDF, “Jazz & the City not only presents the arts component of our culture, it also presents opportunities and platforms for development and growth.”

Art & the City 2025 will run from May 1-9 and will open with La Belle Kweyol – a gala evening in honour of the late cultural icon Theresa Hall.

Under the tagline “Feel the rhythms, see the art, live the culture,” this event promises to be a vibrant fusion of music, art, and heritage.

The mainstage events kick off on April 30, culminating in a grand finale on May 11 with performances by Richard Payne, Ronald Boo Hinkson, Earth, Wind & Fire, and John Legend.

Meanwhile, Community Jazz events  from April 27–May 8 will showcase Meshach, Monty Maxwell, Sly the Artist, Shemmy J, Imran Nerdy, Shayne Ross, DYP, T-Vice, Junior Kelly, Sanchez, WCK, and more across ten venues.

The festival has earned acclaim internationally from Jazziz, Billboard, Essence Magazine and Wanderlust, along with a 2025 Caribbean Music Awards nomination for Music Event of the Year.

Yet, its greatest accolade remains the wholehearted embrace by Saint Lucians at home and abroad. Their unwavering support has turned the festival into more than just an event – it’s a national celebration, a cultural movement and a testament to the spirit of Saint Lucia.