Silver Swan Ragtime Innovations, Inc.

There is a sound that belongs to New Orleans—one that predates jazz, one that pulses beneath the rhythms the city is famous for, one that tells a deeper story of culture, resilience, and artistic brilliance. That sound is ragtime.

Silver Swan Ragtime Innovations, Inc. exists to ensure that this uniquely American art form is not lost to time—but instead rediscovered, celebrated, and carried forward.

Ragtime is more than music. It is the foundation upon which so much of New Orleans’ musical identity was built. From early pioneers like Moreau Gottschalk to innovators like Tony Jackson and Jelly Roll Morton, New Orleans musicians shaped ragtime into something vibrant, expressive, and deeply connected to community life. It wasn’t confined to a piano bench—it lived in dance halls, parades, and gatherings where people came together to celebrate.

And yet, like many cultural treasures, ragtime has faced the risk of fading into the background.

That’s where Silver Swan Ragtime Innovations steps in—with vision, passion, and purpose.

Through initiatives like Ragtime Days NOLA, this organization is breathing new life into a historic art form. Over four unforgettable days in April 2026, audiences didn’t just hear ragtime—they experienced it. They learned its history inside the walls of the New Orleans Jazz Museum. They danced at the Ragtime Ball, where the past met the present in every step of a foxtrot. They witnessed extraordinary performances from local ensembles carrying forward the legacy of the Ragtime Movement. And they experienced the groundbreaking work of Scott Joplin through selections from his opera Treemonisha, performed in a setting that honored both history and artistry.

These moments matter.

They connect generations.
 They preserve stories that might otherwise be forgotten.
 They create opportunities for artists to thrive.
 They invite the public not just to observe history—but to feel it, move with it, and become part of it.

But none of this happens without support.

When you give to Silver Swan Ragtime Innovations during GiveNOLA Day, you are doing more than making a donation. You are investing in cultural preservation. You are supporting artists who dedicate their lives to keeping this music alive. You are ensuring that future generations will not just read about ragtime—but will hear it, dance to it, and understand its place in the American story.

You are helping keep New Orleans’ musical roots strong and visible.

In a city known around the world for its music, ragtime is one of its earliest voices. It deserves to be heard clearly, proudly, and often.

Your gift helps make that possible.

Because when ragtime plays on, so does the story of New Orleans—and the people who shaped it.

Please visit our website, for information about future events.