Mike Stewart was a passionate jazz musician and educator who advocated wholeheartedly for the big band scene in Adelaide. When he died unexpectedly in 2014 at 41 years of age, a memorial fund was established to honour his memory.
The Mike Stewart Memorial Fund is used to support outstanding early career jazz musicians in the pursuit of their professional development. Examples of artists who have received assistance include Superband alumni Max Grynchuk and vocalist Chelsea Lee.