October 2020 - Manchester Jazz Festival

Manchester Jazz Festival has been awarded £64,968 as part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to ensure we have a sustainable future through the coronavirus pandemic.

The investment, administered and awarded by Arts Council England, will allow mjf to re-stabilise, research and deliver a hybrid live / online festival in 2021 and continue redevelop our talent development work to that supports and champions diverse up and coming artists and champion diversity.

mjf CEO and Artistic Director Steve Mead said: “We are so grateful to be named as one of the recipients of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund. This year has been a turbulent time not only for mjf, but also for artists and all those working behind the scenes in the north’s west’s wider music ecology.
“This vital lifeline will allow us to play our part in seeing supporting artists and the city’s music scene through these difficult times.”

Manchester Jazz Festival is the city’s longest running music festival, presenting exciting new work in venues across the city each May. We also champion diverse up and coming artists through our commissioning and deliver year round in-house talent development programmes such as mjf hothouse.

Earlier this year, mjf was forced cancel the physical 25th anniversary festival and move all content online. Although mjf paid full cancellation fees to its programmed artists and ensured that mjf’s virtual festival was a resounding success, it meant virtually nearly all projected income from the 2020 festival was lost.

mjf is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support as part of the very first round of the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England.

Chair, Arts Council England, Sir Nicholas Serota, said: “Theatres, museums, galleries, dance companies and music venues bring joy to people and life to our cities, towns and villages. This life-changing funding will save thousands of cultural spaces loved by local communities and international audiences. Further funding is still to be announced and we are working hard to support our sector during these challenging times.”

Culture Secretary said: “This funding is a vital boost for the theatres, music venues, museums and cultural organisations that form the soul of our nation. It will protect these special places, save jobs and help the culture sector’s recovery.
“These places and projects are cultural beacons the length and breadth of the country. This unprecedented investment in the arts is proof this government is here for culture, with further support to come in the days and weeks ahead so that the culture sector can bounce back strongly.”