Public Programs And Events

Karen Kennedy is the owner and president of 24/Seven Artist Development, one of the leading artist management firms based in New York City. Kennedy founded 24/Seven Artist Development as an independent marketing and management firm designed to provide full-range career planning. The organization has successfully guided the careers of some of the top names in jazz, including multi-Grammy nominees Kenny Barron, Stefon Harris, Javon Jackson, Sphere, Gretchen Parlato, Camila Meza, and others.

Prior to launching her business Ms. Kennedy spent 10 years as an executive at several major record labels, beginning at A&M Records in 1986. While at A&M Records she started the YES TO JOBS program, which placed high school students in summer jobs in the entertainment industry. She later joined the marketing staff, where she was responsible for developing pop, R&B, jazz, and classical music, including artists such as Barry White, Stan Getz, and Dizzy Gillespie. She was later named president of Perspective Records and helped launch the careers of Grammy Award winners The Sound of Blackness and Mint Condition. While at Silas/MCA Records, she created marketing strategies and oversaw artist development for pop artists Aaron Hall, Chante Moore, and Jessie Powell.

Ms. Kennedy entered the entertainment industry after serving as the director of the Southern California Environmental Internship Program, a nonprofit organization for college students and graduates. For the previous ten years she had held various positions in college administration at Loyola Marymount University and Pitzer College at the Claremont Colleges, where she taught organizational behavior. 

The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music presents the Eyes of the Entrepreneurs series which is dedicated to empowering artists to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset in taking responsibility for their art and their career. More than ever before, musicians are their own businesses. Each week we feature notable guest artists, who will discuss the paths they took in developing their vision and life in music, as well concepts like authenticity and integrity, skill development, community building, networking, and more.