Connecting Visual and Performing Arts to Inspire the Next Generation

Alice Walton and Wynton Marsalis both believe in the power of art. They also believe that arts education is for everyone.

And so, the Alice L. Walton Foundation contributed a $1.15M gift to form a unique creative partnership between Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and Jazz at Lincoln Center that brings together jazz and visual arts experiences for audiences of all ages and levels of appreciation.

“Jazz is a uniquely American art form and pairing it with masterworks of American visual art creates a sensory experience and educational opportunity for all ages,” says philanthropist Alice Walton. “I’m delighted that the Alice L. Walton Foundation can help support Wynton’s vision in pairing these art forms through bringing together Crystal Bridges and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.”

School Field Trips

Recently, groups of elementary school students from the Northwest Arkansas area visited Crystal Bridges to explore the connection between jazz and visual art. Students received a guided tour of the collection spanning five centuries of American art and then participated in an interactive music performance created by Jazz at Lincoln Center, performing works influenced by the collection.

“I think it was probably one of the highlights of the year for the kids,” noted one teacher, and students shared that they would like to come back to the museum and that it increased their appreciation of music. This innovative school field trip program will continue through 2024 and potentially into future years.

Performances, Film and Recordings

The two organizations began their creative journey together in 2019 with Portraits of America: A Jazz Story. These concerts, which took place at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater in New York, NY, featured the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis performing original compositions that were inspired by beloved works from Crystal Bridges’ collection.

Now, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s in-house record label, Blue Engine Records, is turning those critically acclaimed performances into an album. Additionally, it’s at work on a Portraits of America concert film and an original video series that brings a wide range of celebrated musicians to Crystal Bridges to stage intimate, spontaneous performances inspired by art in the museum’s collection.

“Alice Walton’s work to keep art accessible to all is heroic. It is an honor and privilege to continue working with her and developing a partnership with Crystal Bridges,” says Wynton Marsalis, Jazz at Lincoln Center Managing and Artistic Director. “Music and visual art both stand alone as inspirational, but when combined, the expressions are uniquely powerful. Jazz at Lincoln Center’s collaboration with Crystal Bridges celebrates bringing cultures together.”

Portrait of Alexander Hamilton, John Trumbull (1756-1843), 1792, oil on canvas, 86-1/2″ x 57-1/2″ (219.7 x 146.1 cm) Framed: 102″ x 73″ x 5-1/2″, jointly owned by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, gift of Credit Suisse, 2013; George Washington [The Constable-Hamilton Portrait], Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828), 1797, oil on canvas, 50″ x 40″ (127 x 101.6 cm), Framed: 59″ x 46-3/4″ x 4-1/2″; Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art; Portrait of a Florentine Nobleman, Kehinde Wiley (born 1977), 2018, oil on linen, 96″ x 72″ (243.8 x 182.9 cm) Framed: 107″ x 83-1/4″ x 6″, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art