Press Release: Grand Teton Music Festival Celebrates Progress in $57 Million “Setting the Stage” Campaign to Support Musicians & Renovate Walk Festival Hall
[JACKSON, WY, JUNE 17, 2025]—As the 2025 summer season approaches, the Grand Teton Music Festival (GTMF) celebrates progress towards its most ambitious fundraising project in its 64-year history: the Setting the Stage campaign. The campaign aims to grow the Festival’s endowment and make much-needed renovations and improvements to its 50-year-old home, Walk Festival Hall.
These critical investments in musician housing, musician compensation, and necessary updates to its beloved Walk Festival Hall will ensure the Festival’s artistic excellence, build long-term sustainability, and strengthen connections with the Jackson community.
A $5 million gift from honorary co-chairs Frances and Allan Tessler has led the way in helping GTMF secure $35 million in gifts and pledges—more than six times its annual operating budget. These commitments to the campaign will support renovations to the Festival’s home, Walk Festival Hall, and double the current endowment, which will then help the Festival increase musician compensation and support additional investments in housing in order to maintain the world-class level of artistry that GTMF musicians bring. The Tesslers have been leaders and key supporters of GTMF for decades.
“For more than 60 years, the Grand Teton Music Festival has been a beloved destination for musicians and audiences from our region and around the world,” said GTMF Executive Director Emma Kail. “We are incredibly fortunate to have the support of fiercely loyal patrons and community members who understand GTMF’s impact in and beyond Jackson Hole and the need to secure the Festival’s future.”
A landmark grant valued at $10 million from the Jackson Hole Housing Fund, led by Margot and Cynthia Walk, provides the Festival with rent-free access to 18 additional high-quality bedrooms for musicians for 50 years at 625 Powderhorn in Jackson. Outside the summer, the space provides much-needed affordable housing for Jackson workers. The Walk Family has supported the Festival since its inception; the leadership gift to build Walk Festival Hall more than 50 years ago has been followed by critical financial and housing support over the years since.
The campaign will also fund necessary work to transform Walk Festival Hall through updates to both its infrastructure and public spaces. The renovations will make the hall more accessible, improve audience experience, and upgrade the technology to increase audience reach and enable the space to serve the Jackson community for decades to come.
“We owe the hall—and the vision behind the hall—everything,” said GTMF Music Director Sir Donald Runnicles. “It is a remarkable instrument and an acoustical marvel. These improvements are essential to maintain our jewel of a performance space and to ensure that our audiences have the best experience possible.”
The team of HGA Architects, DPR Construction, Theatre Projects, and Acoustic Distinctions has been selected by GTMF to handle the essential renovations of Walk Festival Hall, focusing on four areas:
- Concert Hall and Backstage Renewal: Upgrades will add accessibility, elevate acoustics, and expand artistic options through upgraded recording infrastructure, a new amplification system, theatrical lighting, new seating, and refreshed backstage areas.
- Lobby: A new 3,000 square-foot lobby will improve circulation and access with a new elevator, relocated Box Office, additional restrooms, and a wall of windows opening the building to Teton Village.
- Deck and Amenities Expansion: A redesigned deck, concession area, and restrooms will add 570 square feet of space and improve crowd flow. Snowmelt infrastructure will make the deck accessible year-round, thus extending the Hall’s use for the community.
- Safety and Infrastructure: Necessary improvements to the fire suppression, seismic resilience, roof integrity, and electrical systems will protect the building and ensure long-term safety.
“It’s a privilege to chair this effort for an organization that means so much to my family and countless others throughout this community,” said Campaign Committee Chair Susan Sutton. “Thirteen generous families have pledged $1 million or more towards this important campaign so far. I’m also thrilled that 100% of GTMF’s Board and staff have made commitments to the campaign. While there is still work to do, we know that we would not be here without our dedicated community.”
Gift and naming opportunities are available as part of the Setting the Stage campaign; contact Stephen Dyer, Director of Leadership Gifts, stephen@gtmf.org, for details.
The full schedule of 2025 summer programs is available at gtmf.org.
About the Grand Teton Music Festival (GTMF)
Over eight weeks each summer, the Grand Teton Music Festival unites over 250 celebrated orchestral musicians led by Music Director Sir Donald Runnicles. These musicians represent 84 orchestras and 72 institutions of higher learning in North America and Europe. In addition to orchestral concerts on Friday and Saturday nights, the summer season also features visiting guest artists and chamber music on weekdays.
GTMF is one of America’s leading summer classical music festivals. Recognized by The New York Times as one of the top 10 music festivals in the U.S. and chosen by BBC Music Magazine as their 2020 “Festival Choice,” it is the most prominent arts organization in the state of Wyoming and a national treasure. As the single largest performing arts presenter in Jackson Hole, Wyoming with nearly 100 annual events, GTMF presents yearlong programming that includes community concerts and education programs for Teton County students.
GTMF is a 4-star charity as rated by Charity Navigator and has a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. For more information, visit gtmf.org.
All programs, dates and artists subject to change.
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Media Contact: Rachelle Roe
Arts, Etc. Public Relations, 312.618.6655