For this Giving Tuesday, we wanted to give to our audiences some behind-the-scenes perspectives with a few of the Folger’s staff members. Learn more about how they bring their passion and expertise to making the Folger Shakespeare Library a welcoming, vibrant experience for all, and consider making a donation to support the work that they do every day. Jaleelah Thompson, Engagement Program Manager for Folger Music, shares more about the Folger Consort’s upcoming holiday performance, uplifting local artists, and why Shakespeare would be really into DC’s current music scene.
Jaleelah Thompson, Engagement Program Manager for Folger Music at the Folger Shakespeare Library, is on a mission to broaden the reach of music for the larger Folger community. She is leading efforts to guide the newly formed Folger Music program to carry on the early music of the acclaimed Folger Consort while also bringing contemporary local musicians into the space.
Jaleelah’s work focuses on uplifting and amplifying a diverse community of local artists and creating a welcoming space for audiophiles from all walks of life to get into the Folger. This community-oriented approach aims to bring new audiences into the Folger’s spaces, particularly through events like Folger Fridays, which foster a sense of belonging and introduce a broader range of musical experiences.
“At events like that, you never know who you’ll see in the room, which is really exciting,” she shares about Folger Friday lineups as diverse as Grammy Award-nominated musician, hip-hop emcee, and spoken word artist Kokayi; Grammy Award-winning salsa, big band, and swing band Gerardo Contino y Los Habaneros; Arab American composer, vocalist, and oud player Laith Alattar and Band; and same-sex country line dancing group DC Rawhides. She plans to do the same with Folger Music and its first season. “Folger Music is applying Shakespeare’s thesis of building a community together around performing arts and inviting everyone to experience it. For the program, I’m asking: What does it look like to uplift Shakespearean culture in the 21st century? What does it look like to be a true patron of the arts in our own communities?”
Jaleelah Thompson (left) with musicians at a Folger event in October 2024. Photo credit: Elman Studio
Jaleelah’s role is dynamic and hands-on, encompassing everything from training her ear for the best of early and Baroque music, reaching out to local artists and community partners, and managing artist contracts. “I spend a lot of time getting to know artists, understanding their work, and exploring how they can bring something unique to Folger Music,” she says. For her, building relationships with local artists is not only a professional duty but also a personal passion, one that aligns with the Folger’s commitment to community engagement.
Jaleelah is especially excited about the upcoming holiday concert A Mass for Christmas Eve: Baroque Music for the Season, a perennial favorite of Folger Consort’s season. She believes musical events like this have the power to introduce new audiences to the beauty of early music, bridging generations and creating memorable experiences. “The Folger Consort has had an incredible 47-year impact on the community, preserving and performing early music, the music of Shakespeare’s time,” she notes. “These holiday performances celebrate our shared history and allow us to bring it to life for new audiences.”
At the heart of Jaleelah’s mission is the belief that the arts can—and should—be accessible to everyone. She draws inspiration from Shakespeare’s vision of bringing people together, and she hopes that Folger Music will continue to serve as a bridge between the institution and all of the communities of Washington, D.C. “The goal is to build a community around the arts,” she explains. “Just as Shakespeare’s work brought people together from all parts of society, we want Folger Music to be a space where everyone feels welcome, represented, and celebrated.”
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