About Us
About the Savannah Music Festival
The Savannah Music Festival (SMF) is dedicated to presenting world-class celebrations of the musical arts by creating timeless and adventurous productions that stimulate arts education, foster economic growth and unite artists and audiences in Savannah.
“…surely the broadest palette of any comparable festival in the world, ranging from country to folk to jazz to chamber… This can be a place to immerse yourself for a few days, with breaks to enjoy the glories of Savannah in peak azalea season.”
– Classical Voice North America
Upcoming Festival Dates:
March 28–April 13, 2024
March 27–April 12, 2025
Quick Facts
- Established in 1989
- A 501(c)3 nonprofit performing arts organization
- The annual 17-day springtime festival is Georgia’s largest musical arts event, featuring up to 100 productions
- Brings 500 of the world’s finest musical artists to Savannah annually
- 42% of SMF’s audience is made up of patrons from out of town
- Media coverage includes: The Times (London), The New York Times, The Guardian (UK), The Wall Street Journal, Toronto Star (Canada), Le Monde (France), Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Germany) and Gramophone (UK)
- Employs tweleve full-time year-round staff members and expands workforce by 127 contracted workers and 198 volunteers leading up to and during the festival
Financial Statistics
- SMF’s annual budget: $3.8 million
- Annual revenue from ticket sales: $1.5 million
- Average amount SMF raises each year to sustain programs: $2.3 million
- SMF generates tax revenues of $1 million each year between hotel/motel, sales and transportation tax
Education Programs
- Year-round music education program for students in grades K-2, available cost-free to teachers in Chatham, Effingham, Liberty, Bryan (GA) and Beaufort (SC) counties
- Free classroom resources and professional development workshops for all participating teachers
- Semester-end concerts featuring professional musicians in genres important to the Southeastern United States
Swing Central Jazz (SCJ) and the Acoustic Music Seminar (AMS) provide unique mentorship opportunities to aspiring young musicians in jazz and acoustic music.
Launched in January 2020, SMF Jazz Academy is an after-school jazz program for Savannah-area 5th graders, hosted at the School of Humanities at Juliette Gordon Low Elementary. Participants receive instrument rental, private and ensemble lessons, academic support, snack and dinner, and transportation.
