Sustaining Free Music, Art and Culture: The Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival’s New Charitable Partnership
For many people, the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival is experienced through its free concerts, performances and cultural programming—moments that bring neighbours together, invite new audiences into the arts, and make music and creativity accessible to everyone. Ensuring that this free, public side of the Festival can continue is essential to its role in the community.
A new partnership with the Fort Langley Legacy Foundation will strengthen the Festival’s ability to sustain that commitment. Through this partnership, the Foundation will serve as the Festival’s charitable giving partner, providing a secure and transparent way for donors to support the free, public side of the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival and receive a charitable receipt. By creating a trusted, transparent pathway for charitable donations, this partnership will help protect the free programming that has long been at the heart of the Festival.
For years, the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival has brought people together through music, art and shared experiences, becoming a key part of Fort Langley’s cultural landscape. From free outdoor concerts, art workshops and Indigenous cultural programming to youth performance and education initiatives, the Festival’s impact extends far beyond the stage.
This partnership greatly enhances the Festival’s ability to sustain that impact, offering donors a clear and accountable way to support free and community-focused programming.
Strengthening community through similar values
At the heart of this partnership is a shared mission. The Fort Langley Legacy Foundation’s mandate is to ensure a rich heritage for future generations by preserving and promoting arts and culture in Langley. Similarly, the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival seeks to inspire discovery and celebration through accessible, high-quality music and art experiences that unite artists and audiences.
“We’re thrilled to partner with the Fort Langley Legacy Foundation to strengthen support for arts and culture in our community,” says the Festival’s Executive Director and co-founder, Karen Zukas. “Both organizations share a deep commitment to preserving and celebrating arts and culture in Fort Langley, and this partnership is a significant step forward for the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival and for the community we serve.”
“The Festival has grown into a solid, effective organization that is very well received by the community,” says Grant Rawstron, Chair of the Fort Langley Legacy Foundation. “It has strong volunteer support that delivers real impact and has established itself as a regular feature on the community calendar. Supporting the free public side of the Festival just made sense for us.”
Charitable activities focused on community benefit
The partnership enables tax-receipted donations for community programming delivered by the Festival on behalf of the Foundation. While the Festival continues to plan and deliver its programming independently, the Foundation provides charitable oversight and ensures compliance and responsible management.
“We’re really there in a supportive role,” Grant explains. “The Festival will continue to do what it does best, while we ensure that charitable funds are used appropriately for the free and public aspects of the Festival. That oversight keeps everything transparent.”
The charitable activities supported under this agreement focus on community benefit. These include free concerts and performances, youth music education and mentorship programs, accessible arts and culture initiatives, community art installations and cultural heritage education. Ticketed events, such as the Cool Blues Show, are excluded.
For donors, this structure offers clarity and confidence. Contributions directly support programming that removes barriers to participation and keeps music, art and culture accessible to all.
A history shaped by generosity and passion
The Fort Langley Legacy Foundation itself has a long history of supporting community initiatives. Established in the late 1980s, the Foundation was created to help raise funds for local projects at a time when many organizations lacked charitable status. Much of its early work focused on heritage and cultural initiatives connected to the Fort Langley National Historic Site.
That work was shaped by the late Bays Blackhall, one of the Foundation’s charter members and a tireless community builder. “Bays was always very interested in many aspects of the community,” Grant recalls. “She was constantly trying to find ways to support projects that would bring people together and strengthen Fort Langley.” Her passion for arts, culture and heritage continues to guide the Foundation’s values today.
Donations in support of the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival’s free community programming are gratefully accepted through the Fort Langley Legacy Foundation, which will issue charitable tax receipts for eligible contributions. Together, donors, the Festival and the Foundation are investing in a vibrant cultural future for Fort Langley.
Donate to the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival here → https://www.fortlangleyjazzfest.com/donate