Sunny Sumter/Courtesy Fritz Blakey

Published September 23, 2020 - A chat with Sunny Sumter, DC Jazz Festival executive director and ‘Jazz Hero’

DC Jazz Festival Executive Director Sunny Sumter says a career in arts and event administration — and a passion for jazz vocals — has helped her lead the festival. Courtesy Fritz Blakey

CapitalBop,Inc, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting, presenting and preserving jazz in Washington, D.C. Founded in 2010 and run by young cultural organizers and musicians, CapitalBop grows audiences and builds community around jazz because we believe it is important to the city’s historic identity as well as its contemporary culture. CapitalBop.com is an online magazine and resource designed to help everyone from newcomers to diehards connect with the city’s thriving live jazz scene and musicians. We present grassroots shows that unite diverse audiences while showcasing jazz in nontraditional, outside-the-box scenarios. Our emerging education program seeks to connect D.C.’s great teaching artists with children across the city, helping them access their own creativity by tapping them into the rich cultural legacy of their hometown.