Author Archives: Lucy Truong

Faces of Levitt: Pat and Jim Yost

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Bethlehem, Pa., residents Jim and Pat Yost have witnessed significant changes in their community during the past 35 years, including the transformation of the Bethlehem Steel brownfield into Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks. Since opening in 2011, Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks has turned Bethlehem into a music-filled destination for all to enjoy. The venue’s impact is in part possible because of Levitt volunteers like Jim and Pat who give back to their community by making every free Levitt concert experience a positive one. “Our job here is to make sure the people who come here have the best time they’ve ever had,” says Pat in our Faces of Levitt video. Continue reading →

Celebrating international artists on Levitt stages

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Playing for Change performing at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena as part of the 2014 Levitt National Tour.

Playing for Change performing at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena as part of the 2014 Levitt National Tour.

Whether it’s blues, samba or hip hop, much of the music that reverberates from Levitt stages is made possible because artists from around the world are able to come together, inspire each other and collaborate creatively. The Levitt Foundation is proud to support platforms for international artists to express themselves and bring community members together through music. As Syrian musician Kinan Azmeh, who has lived in the United States for the past 16 years, recently told NPR, “I continue to believe that making music is an act of freedom.”

Embracing all Levitt artists and Levitteers—no matter their country of origin—is a big part of our mission to strengthen the social fabric of America, which has been immeasurably shaped by immigrants. Take a look at a few of the many artists from around the world who have graced Levitt venues! Continue reading →

From ‘The Lion King’ to Coachella: Hans Zimmer brings film music to the stage

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Among the predictions for the 2017 Coachella festival lineup were a variety of well-known artists from popular music genres, from R&B royalty (Beyoncé) to rock innovators (Radiohead). Like every year, the lineup reveal was not without some surprises. Perhaps most unexpected was the addition of Hans Zimmer, the German-born composer who has scored over 150 movies since the 1980s. And yet a closer look at Zimmer’s career reveals how his ability to push musical boundaries makes him a fantastic choice for one of the most popular music festivals in the world. Continue reading →

Winners Announced for the 2017 Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Awards

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2017winners_email

Today, the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation awarded $375,000 in matching grants to 15 nonprofits serving small to mid-sized towns and cities across America to produce free outdoor concerts, as part of the third annual Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Awards. Reflecting the Levitt Foundation’s commitment to creative placemaking projects generating community support, once again the Foundation opened the AMP selection process to the public to choose the top 25 finalists. Continue reading →

2016 Accolades and Recognition for Levitt Venues

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Every year, each Friends of Levitt organization presents a concert season featuring high caliber entertainment of an array of music genres. People of all backgrounds and ages can experience a diverse lineup of artists at permanent Levitt venues, where they can also spend time with friends, family and neighbors while enjoying the free concerts. It’s no wonder that Levitt venues get so much love from their communities. Take a look at some of the recognition the venues received in 2016!

Levitt Shell Arlington
Levitt Pavilion Arlington
Winner, “Best Live Music Venue”
Arlington Today Magazine

 

 


Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles

Extensive press coverage of concert featuring Jimmy Webb, songwriter of the iconic “MacArthur Park”

 

 

Levitt Shell Memphis
Levitt Shell Memphis
Winner, “Best Place to See Live Music”
Memphis Flyer

 

 

Levitt Shell Memphis
Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
Winner, “Best Live Music Venue”
Pasadena Weekly

 

 

Levitt Shell Memphis
Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks
Winner, “Best Free Entertainment”
Lehigh Valley Style

 

 

Levitt Shell Memphis
Levitt Pavilion Westport
Winner, “Best Live Music Spot” and “Best Performing Arts Venue”
Best of the Gold Coast, Connecticut

 

 

Congratulations to the Friends of Levitt organizations on these achievements, which are a true reflection of the impact of community through music in their cities!

These real-life winter wonderlands bring people outdoors, even in the coldest of temperatures

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  • Quebec Winter Carnival in Quebec, Canada. Photo: Jamie McCaffrey

Many people think of winter as a time to bundle up in front of the fireplace, pop in a favorite holiday record and sip a cup of hot chocolate indoors. Public squares and streets all over the world, however, are bringing people out of their homes—even in freezing temperatures—through creative placemaking. Whether it’s by hosting an ice-skating rink, setting up an annual holiday market, or illuminating buildings with festive light displays, placemaking during the cold season draws residents and visitors alike outside to enjoy the winter ambience. That’s why, even in cities known for their snowy seasons and frigid air, you’ll find public outdoor spaces alive with activity.

Check out these real-life winter wonderlands in the slideshow above, and tell us about your favorite outdoor public spaces to visit during the winter!

Celebrating Our Veterans Today and Everyday

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On this Veterans Day, we honor the men and women who protect the freedoms we enjoy everyday and extend our deepest gratitude to those who have served our country. Because of your bravery, we can exercise our freedom of expression— through speech, through art, and through music.