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NEW ORLEANS – Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, the Louisiana State Museum, and the New Orleans Jazz Museum announced today the Gia Maione Prima Foundation’s generous support of its Education Outreach Program. The $25,000 award will assist the New Orleans Jazz Museum in facilitating distance learning opportunities for students and teachers in the New Orleans community.

“Through this support from the Gia Maione Prima Foundation, the New Orleans Jazz Museum will be able to provide distance learning opportunities to students and teachers, improving website and stream capabilities, and making all educational programs available online. This comes at a time when distance learning is at top of mind. With the help of this funding, the New Orleans Jazz Museum can help carry on our state’s proud musical heritage that so many visitors come to our cities to hear.”

said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser.

The New Orleans Jazz Museum’s mission has education at it’s heart. Up until the recent closing during the pandemic crisis, the New Orleans Jazz Museum offered educational programs on site, online, and in the New Orleans public schools, including field trips featuring on-site visits from over 100 local, national, and international schools per year; musician-led workshops and Master Classes; Jazz Enrichment summer camps; and, internships with local and international universities, including Tulane, Loyola, and SUNO’s Museum Studies graduate program, the only program which trains museum professionals in Louisiana at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

“We are very grateful for this generous grant from the Gia Maione Prima Foundation, which will support online education programs. We must ensure the transmission of our unique music culture to the next generation doesn’t get lost during this difficult period for our city, state, and nation.”

said Jazz Museum executive director Greg Lambousy.

“The Foundation is so proud to sponsor the New Orleans Jazz Museum Educational Outreach Program by providing resources to support music education programs that will afford online learning opportunities to students and share unique music and culture to future generations.”   

commented Gia Maione Prima Foundation trustee Anthony Sylvester.

The New Orleans Jazz Museum says it is excited to expand its work with the Gia Maione Prima Foundation. In 2019, the New Orleans Jazz Museum opened the exhibition, “The Wildest: Louis Prima Comes Home,” sponsored by the Gia Maione Prima Foundation. The exhibition is currently on view at the Jazz Museum, and through the continued support from the Gia Maione Prima Foundation, the Jazz Museum will further share the legacy of the Prima family with new audiences through online programming and exhibits.