The Vision

The mindset of “The Aspen Idea: Mind, Body & Spirit” has shaped life in Aspen since the 1940s and continues to inspire everything we do. That same spirit is at the heart of the Paul JAS Center, a new, world-class venue, opening this December.

Back in the early 1950s, when great classical artists like Stravinsky graced the Aspen Music Festival, Chicago businessman and impresario John Silber was presenting Billie Holiday, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and other American legends at the historic Red Onion.

Now, the echoes of those musical giants will come alive once again as the Paul JAS Center reimagines this iconic space for a new era.

Drawing inspiration from the legends who helped shape Aspen’s cultural identity and from Jazz Aspen Snowmass’s own legacy of presenting artists as diverse as Tony Bennett, Sting, the Black Eyed Peas, and Stevie Wonder. The Paul JAS Center will serve as a vibrant, intimate home for performance, creativity, and community. This year-round hub for concerts, education, and special events will infuse Aspen’s downtown core with fresh energy, continuing the town’s timeless pursuit of mind, body, and spirit in perfect harmony.