Soundscapes for Tomorrow: Stage One Residencies (Get Tickets)

A Signature Program of the Clef’s 60th Anniversary Celebration

Major support for Soundscapes for Tomorrow has been provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage

As the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts marks 60 years of cultural leadership, Soundscapes for Tomorrow: Stage One Residencies stands at the center of this historic milestone—honoring legacy, amplifying today’s voices, and investing boldly in the future of jazz.

This two-year creative residency initiative reflects the Clef’s enduring role as a national steward of jazz culture. Through five immersive artist residencies led by nationally and internationally acclaimed jazz artists, Soundscapes for Tomorrowinvites audiences into the creative process itself—where heritage, innovation, and community converge.

Residencies encompass the creation of new works, rehearsals, artist conversations, master classes, and public workshops—offering rare access to the ideas, influences, and collaborations that shape contemporary jazz.

The Clef Club 60th Anniversary Awards Celebration

The Clef Club’s 60th Anniversary Awards Celebration will be hosted by Senator Vincent Hughes and will feature a distinguished awards program recognizing the individuals whose leadership and artistry have shaped—and continue to shape—the Clef’s enduring impact.

Honors and Recognitions

Founders’ Legacy Award (Posthumous)
Honoring James “Jimmy” Adams, visionary founder of the Clef Club
Presented by Dr. Diane Turner,
Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, Temple University

Visionary Leadership Award
Honoring Dr. Bernard Watson, whose leadership and foresight were instrumental in the creation and construction of the Clef Club’s purpose-built facility in 1995
Presented by Dr. Ken Scott,
President, The Beech Companies

Soundscapes for Tomorrow Artistic Excellence Awards
Presented by Valerie Gay,
Chief Cultural Officer, City of Philadelphia

Honoring the 2026 Soundscapes for Tomorrow Resident Artists:

• Tia Fuller
• Papo Vázquez
• Nabaté Isles
• Derrick Hodge
• Miguel Zenón

Selected through the Clef Club’s National Artist Advisory Committee, these artists represent a powerful spectrum of jazz expression—bridging tradition and experimentation, cultural memory and contemporary voice. Residency themes explore the reimagining of jazz through Puerto Rican Indigenous music, the evolution of new genres through cultural fusion, and the role of intergenerational exchange as a catalyst for artistic innovation.

A Defining Artistic Moment

The evening will include food and community gathering, culminating in a landmark artistic event:
Tia Fuller will present the world premiere of her commissioned Soundscapes for Tomorrow work—a moment that both celebrates creative culmination and signals the Clef’s next chapter of artistic leadership.

Program Impact & Access

All residencies culminate in world-premiere performances at the Clef Club, supported by livestreaming and professional video documentation to extend access to national and international audiences. To ensure broad participation, the Clef Club will provide complimentary tickets through local nonprofit partners, reinforcing its commitment to accessibility and community engagement.

Resident artists are supported through honoraria, travel and lodging, rehearsal space, access to multitrack recording studios, professional audio and video production, and the Clef Club’s historic jazz archive. A hybrid residency model—combining in-person and remote engagement—accommodates the demanding schedules of leading artists while stewarding resources responsibly.

A Legacy Forward

Together, Soundscapes for Tomorrow and the Clef’s 60th Anniversary Celebration reaffirm the organization’s mission to celebrate, preserve, and advance jazz through education, performance, and cultural engagement—positioning the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts as a national hub for artistic excellence, innovation, and inclusion.