The United Jazz Foundation, in partnership with the Sports, Parks, and Recreation Department and the St. John School of the Arts, is one step closer to bringing a major new music initiative to the territory.
The coalition has advanced to the public voting phase for a national grant from the Levitt Foundation that could fund a multi-year series of free outdoor concerts across the Virgin Islands beginning in 2026.
If awarded, the Virgin Islands would receive up to $120,000 over three years to produce its own Levitt Music Series — staging between seven and ten concerts annually. Performances would be held in familiar gathering spaces such as Roosevelt Park and Joseph Aubain Ballpark on St. Thomas, Franklin A. Powell Sr. Park on St. John, and the Christiansted National Historic Site lawn on St. Croix.
Organizers say the concerts would spotlight emerging artists, celebrate local traditions, and showcase the global influence of Virgin Islands musicians. The effort is designed not only to expand access to live music but also to “activate” public spaces, creating inclusive destinations for families and neighbors to gather.
The Levitt Foundation, which supports the largest free outdoor concert series in the United States, emphasizes community-driven programming. That means the outcome now hinges on public support. Online voting runs from Sept. 5 through Sept. 15, with residents encouraged to cast their vote at levitt.org/vote or by texting USVIFORALL to 877-409-5525.
The Virgin Islands proposal is among dozens across the country vying for one of 50 available grants, with recipients to be announced in November.
