Jazz Preview: Fears over funding as Arts Council axe hovers

Jazz Yorkshire was founded in 2003 to develop jazz in the region, and in the present financial year ten volunteer-run clubs and venues will share £26,500. This is scarcely an astronomical sum but it gives encouraging help to unpaid organisers.

Only four months ago a Jazz in England survey revealed that arts subsidies were often doubled by the unpaid work of dedicated supporters. During 2009-10, Jazz Yorkshire’s £26,500 investment generated ticket income of £131,000 with an audience of over 12,000.

“We believe that this network offers the greatest opportunity for musicians and audiences to access high-quality jazz performance,” says development manager Nigel Slee. Now the process is in danger after the Arts Council’s decision to withdraw funding from the end of March next year.

Arts Council policy favours a Northern Region Jazz Agency to replace Jazz Yorkshire, NE Jazz Action and NW Jazz Works, and negotiations will be finalised by the end of the year. Jazz Yorkshire’s chair, Martin Coultas, promises that the interests of jazz in the region will be furthered in any future funding scheme, whatever form it takes.

“We are committed to forming a Northern region jazz agency and we are talking to the Arts Council and other stakeholders about how best to achieve this, including looking for alternative funding options,” says Slee. “If we can’t find another source of funding then it will be a disaster for the regional jazz scene.”