First UK jazz festival to become Keychange Associates

mjf is the first UK jazz festival to be named a Keychange Associate, pledging a 50/50 gender balance in all our programming.

For 23 years, manchester jazz festival has championed and been firm advocates of women in music through the festival programme and our special projects. We are proud to say we have consistently offered female musicians a professional platform for their music to be heard.

In 2017, 50% of all bands that played the festival included women in their line-up, translating as 49 out of 98 gigs having a strong female presence. In 2018 we continued to strive for this level of equality to help the PRS Foundation Keychange initiative reach their target of having a 50/50 gender balance in the music industry by 2022.

mjf Artistic Director Steve Mead, said: “I’m so proud to say that mjf is a Keychange Associate and it’s humbling our ambitions and achievements towards creating a more gender-balanced jazz industry are being celebrated with this initiative. There is of course plenty more to do, but I hope that together we can continue to inspire others to effect change for good.” 

For more information about the PRS Foundation Keychange Initiative click here.