Leeds Jazz Festival Will Return in 2025

Leeds Jazz Festival is set to return for its fourth edition from May 22 to May 27, 2025. The vibrant celebration of jazz will once again bring together a diverse lineup of talented artists, showcasing everything from contemporary to traditional jazz across multiple venues throughout the city. 

In addition to live performances, the festival will offer workshops, artist talks, and special events designed to engage the local community and promote artistic growth. Stay tuned for more details and artist announcements at leedsjazzfestival.com.

The inaugural event took place between 1st and 12th June 2022. The programme featured a variety of free to access events and ticketed showcases, representing the wide diversity of Jazz in the city, with something for everyone, from the most die-hard jazz fan around to a first time attendee. You can check out the gallery here to get a sense for the 2022 festival.

In 2024 the festival ran from 23rd - 28th May 2024, expanding on the previous years highlights; the Welcome to Leeds Stage and the range of gigs in venues across the city. DJ NikNak debuted an audio-visual installation based on their album ‘Inner Ireti’ thematically honouring the Black roots of Jazz and the further impact on music at Leeds Art Gallery. Music production workshops took place in the state of the art Leeds Beckett studios. All alongside a programme of gigs and panels celebrating the local scene and showcasing bigger names, from Nubiyan Twist to Fergus McCreadie Trio and DJ Tina Edwards. Watch the highlight video here.

Leeds Jazz Festival is produced by a city-wide network of partners, representing venues, programmers, musicians and more, coordinated by Music:Leeds, with public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England alongside Split, LeedsBID, Welcome to Leeds, Eiger Studios and Leeds City Council funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund

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