February News 2025

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Research Project with Birmingham City University announced

JPN’s Board was delighted to learn recently that our good friends at Birmingham City University (BCU)  have secured funding from the University to work with us on a research project running for  6-8 months from March this year. After ten years as a constituted body, it is an excellent time for JPN to  review its progress to date and examine how best to proceed in future.

The proposed areas involved will include the following:

  • A substantial evaluation of the JPN’s governance, management structure, policies, recruitment and funding model, along with its reach, impact and scope.
  • An examination off JPN’s membership model, benefits, and strategies for growth, and the geographical challenges the organisation faces. 
  • Exploring ways in which the JPN and its members could provide real world insights to students/graduates from HEI and FE institutions with jazz/music courses.
  • A final report will be presented to the JPN board this autumn, published online as an open access document, and will inform conference presentations by the research team at BCU at the JPN’s conference and other industry and academic events.
  • JPN Members and other partners will play a key role in this work and we will be in touch regarding possible meetings and interviews connected with the research. 

Membership fees held at previous rates – JOIN NOW

Why not join NOW to play your part in what you feel a UK/Ireland wide network should be offering to the sector, to have the opportunity to feed into the Research Project being run with BCU as described above, to nominate bands for the 2025 showcase programme, have at least one free place at the annual JPN Conference and to network with other JPN members (for current member list see HERE) 

For details of how to join go to https://jazzpromotionnetwork.org.uk/join/. Membership starts at only £55 per annum for individual members and volunteer run organisations.

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córas trio

Córas Trio to be featured on BBC Radio 3”s ‘Round Midnight’ on Feb 14

Northern Irish band Córas Trio captured the attention of many delegates at the 2024 JPN Conference in Bristol in November, including representatives of JPN Members Folded Wing, the company who produce ‘Round Midnight’ and ‘The Jamie Cullum Show’ for the BBC. As a result, all the numbers from Coras Trio’s set at the conference will be played during the February 14 edition of BBC R3 ‘Round Midnight’. JPN are delighted that their inclusion in the JPN showcase programme led to further exposure for this excellent trio. 

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2025 Conference dates and partners in Cardiff confirmed

As announced in our last mailout, we now have confirmed venues for the 2025 JPN Conference which will take place on Nov 7 and 8 2025 at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Cardiff University. Some may have read of the possible closure of the Music School at the University (and the many expressions of concern about such a move); we are delighted to let you know that this (which if it happens at all would not be until 2030)  will in no way affect plans for the conference. 

Dr Charles Wilson (Music Lecturer, Cardiff University) and Penny King (Head of Creative Programming, RWCMD) comment as follows:

The JPN conference is a perfect example of what RWCMD and Cardiff School of Music can do together but could not do on their own. Both institutions are central to the musical ecology of Wales. (Charles Wilson).

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is delighted to collaborate with Cardiff University School of Music in hosting the JPN conference. This partnership highlights how our institutions complement each other by drawing on our distinct strengths to deliver a comprehensive event for the UK and Irish jazz sector in Cardiff. (Penny King) 

Many musicians and composers have expressed outrage at the proposed closure of the much-respected music department which has produced so many excellent and successful artists, including the latest winner of BBC Young Jazz Musician 2024-  Ursula Harrison. Our colleagues at the University Music Department urge JPN members and partners to sign the petition below to join the 20,000 plus who have already signed.

https://www.change.org/p/save-cardiff-university-school-of-music

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JPN looking for new Trustees

JPN is still keen to hear from anyone interested in joining the JPN Board; to know more about what becoming a JPN Trustee would involve they should contact Ros Rigby (JPN Chair; ros@jazzpromotionnetwork.org.uk) for an informal chat by the end of February. 

We are looking for the following: 

First and foremost – people with enthusiasm and commitment to the idea of a pan-UK/Ireland jazz network, and ideas about how to make it work effectively  for everyone.

Representatives of all JPN territories – so we are particularly seeking:

  • People resident in and involved in the jazz community in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. (Applicants from England are however also welcomed).

The following experience/skills would also be useful:

  • Experience of fundraising and financial management.
  • Professional musicians with interest/involvement in the broader jazz scene (e.g. as promoters, educators,  label managers, etc)
  • Strong and current connections across the jazz and wider music sectors.

Further background information is available here including the deadline for submitting a written statement (March 31) and the date of the AGM (April 28) at which the Trustee election will take place. JPN MEMBERS TO NOTE THIS DATE. 

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JPN member ticket offer at BRILLIANT CORNERS FESTIVAL

Our friends at Moving on Music in Belfast are kindly offering fellow JPN Members free tickets (subject to availability) for events on the two weekends of their highly regarded 30th anniversary BRILLIANT CORNERS Festival– from February 28 to March 8. Artists featured include Elliott Galvin, Georgia Cecile, Sultan Stevenson,

Alina Bzhezhinska and many more. Full details at https://www.brilliantcornersbelfast.com/gigs/. Anyone interested in taking up the offer should contact Paula McColl at paula@movingonmusic.com.   First come first served!

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