All Parliamentary Review of UK jazz offers ‘Actionable Roadmap’ to improve visibility, sustainability and access to the music

The news Arts Council England (ACE) are funding an English jazz stand at Jazzahead! and the ‘Breakthrough Act’ category at the Jazz FM Awards coincides with the publication of a new report by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Group (APPJG) entitled ‘Review of Jazz in England: an Honest Portrait and an Actionable Roadmap’ (A Green Paper).

Written by Chris Hodgkins and Howard Lawes, with contributions from two Jazzwise writers, Kevin Le Gendre and Dr Victoria Kingham, as well as Steve Crocker, Nigel Tully, Dr Noel Dennis and Sarah Chaplin, the detailed report offers a comprehensive analysis and celebration of jazz in the UK. It aims to understand the state of jazz today, by shedding light on the opportunities and challenges faced by the jazz community across England, from “celebrated metropolitan venues to grassroots collectives”. The report highlights that despite lacking funding the UK jazz scene makes a “significant cultural and economic impact”, while also “consistently outperforms its level of investment”, as well as being “inclusive by nature, embodying a culture of excellence among its world-leading composers and musicians”.

Recent successes such as Ezra Collective’s Brit Award and Mercury Prize wins are celebrated, as well as the invaluable work of Tomorrow’s Warriors, National Youth Jazz Orchestra and Jazz re:freshed, yet challenges facing the wider scene are also raised, such as jazz performance receiving only 2% of Arts Council England’s overall funding allocation for live music compared to opera which receives 49%.

Other ongoing issues include a drastic lack of European touring opportunities post-Brexit, reliance on volunteers to run grassroots venues, and “artists being poorly remunerated for their work by the music streaming platforms”.

Among the policy recommendations are fairer funding allocations for jazz; an increase in the proportion of National Lottery Project Grants given to small grassroots venues and freelance bands and musicians; and European touring support from UK Export Finance( UKEF) and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).

The report's author Chris Hodgkins added: "The crucial point is that the UK jazz scene is not joined up. People are busy with noses to the grindstone in a hostile funding environment. It is crucial that the jazz community comes together to plot their own course and destiny for mutual benefit. APPJG will play its part with its partners in trying to solve the issues set out in its action plan and the jazz community has to play its part with national planning meetings and an effective action plan. There is not much new under the sun so united we stand or divided we fall." 

With the first funding announced for this year’s for an English jazz stand at Jazzahead! and involement in the Jazz FM Awards, signs are the Arts Council is starting to listen.  

To read the full report visit appjag.org/review-of-jazz-in-england