As we close out 2024, we conclude City of Gold Arts' second year of operations by celebrating a wonderfully successful year, promoting musical collaboration, international dialogue, and creative understanding. More than ever, these traits are so desperately needed in our world.

Thanks to support from donors like you, we were able to achieve incredible milestones this year, including:

• Produce 50 musical, educational, and recording events throughout the United States, including partnering with Lincoln Center, SFJAZZ, Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and more

• Support 157 musicians with high-quality work opportunities, garnering $90,000 in revenue for their work

• Offset nearly $35,000 in travel and accommodation costs for touring artists

• Launch the first-ever American label dedicated to South African Jazz with AfricArise, releasing five albums in our inaugural year to wonderful critical acclaim in the United States and in South Africa

• Win at the South African Music Awards (SAMAs) for Best Jazz Album with our inaugural release Enhlizweni: Song Stories from My Heartland by Steve Dyer

We have also managed these accomplishments through the efforts of our largely volunteer-driven organization, keeping administrative expenses to a bare minimum.

As 2025 approaches, we have many exciting plans for new events, tours, educational products, and recordings. However, we urgently need your assistance. With impending changes coming next year, the artists' ability to obtain work visas and travel will be greatly impacted, and we need to renew our artists' visas immediately.

In addition to our operating costs, the added legal costs, expediting fees, and filing fees to handle the visas early leave us with $20,000 of expenses in order to close out the year. We are asking for your assistance to help us serve these artists and ensure their ability to safely, comfortably, and legally tour and work in the United States during the coming years.

By securing their work visas now, we can ensure their ability to work and travel freely into 2028. By proceeding immediately, we also can ensure timely processing of all paperwork. The artists tour the United States through O-visas. Without these visas, our artists cannot legally work within the United States.

Our 2025 plans include multiple cross-country tours for artists, appearances in new markets in the Midwest and Southeast, larger educational residencies for their work, and new album release opportunities. With your support, we can ensure that our artists have the opportunity to continue their endeavors comfortably and with dignity.

City of Gold Arts, Inc is a 501c3 organization, and all donations are tax deductible. Details on how to donate can be found here: https://www.cityofgoldarts.org/fundraising-appeal