Pathways to sustainability

Australian jazz culture faces an interesting conundrum. Professional jazz musicians aim to create high-quality music in a range of styles, but finding the eyes and ears of the wider audience can be a challenge, especially in a music that constantly invents and reinvents what it is and what it can be. The national jazz festival circuit in Australia contains several key events: the Wangaratta, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane jazz festivals. For these festivals to continue to attract sustainable audiences, a diversity of programming featuring the crucial balance between local artists, international imports and Australian music must be a part of a robust programming strategy. This article investigates the diversity of artistic programming at the Wangaratta, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane jazz festivals, and the challenges faced by the regionality of their locations, in order to identify pathways for these festivals to connect with local audiences, musicians and wider fans of the music nationally.