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Monday: the day the music died

Park City Jazz Foundation files for dissolution too much competition

The Park City Jazz Foundation, producers of the annual Jazz Festival, announced Monday its attorneys had filed for dissolution early last month with the Utah Department of Corporations.

Volunteer executive director Dan Croce said letters have been sent to creditors. Assets will be turned into cash to be distributed by attorney Jeffrey Shields.

Croce said the loss of title sponsor Fidelity Investments and the stiff competition from other music events, and for donations in general, led to the dissolution.

A few people have called saying they planned their Park City vacation around the festival, but only about a dozen, he said. The myriad opportunities for seeing live music in Park City has made such a festival unnecessary.

"There’s just so much stuff to do," he said. "Look at the number of music events, holy mackerel. You can see music almost every night."

With all of the people hurting in this recession, it is also hard to solicit donations for the arts, he said.

In his Main Street store, Livin’ Life Park City, Croce sells moderately-priced art. He related how people tell him they like a certain piece but say they can’t afford it. It is not really because they don’t have the money, he thinks, it is because there are so many other demands on their resources.

Even for people or groups who are committed to sponsoring live music, there is now more competition for those finite dollars, he added.

Croce said he worked hard to keep the festival alive, but acknowledged there are many other jazz festivals across the world struggling to stay afloat. Jazz is art, and our society especially in this economy is not supporting the arts, he said.

"It was a great event, how could you not love that event? It was a beautiful setting, great music, it involved kids but it couldn’t be sustained," he said.

Andrew Kirk


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