Women In Jazz have launched a new year-long initiative.

The organisation have been platforming and supporting female voices in UK jazz for some time now, helping to uplift some very special artists. With the likes of Nubya Garcia gaining a Mercury nomination, it’s clear that women are leading the way in UK jazz on multiple levels.

Barriers remain, however, and The Year Of Women In Jazz aims to help female artists move past some of the challenges they face.

Conducting a lengthy survey, data showed that 55.8% of people agreed that women were ‘very poorly’ or ‘poorly’ represented – and only 16.4% felt women were well represented. 

As a result, new initiative The Year Of Women In Jazz – supported by major industry partners including Love Supreme Festival, Soho House, London Jazz Festival, Soho Radio and more – will focus on six key areas:

– The need for more representation and visibility 
– Mentorship and career development 
– Inclusive, collaborative spaces
– Support for behind the scenes roles
– Financial and educational support 
– Gender equal programming and networking

Louise Paley, co-founder of Women In Jazz says… 

“I am thrilled to announce a huge milestone for Women in Jazz. This year marks The Year of Women in Jazz: a project that celebrates the diverse voices of women in jazz. Last year, we conducted an in depth exploration of the experiences in our community. The findings highlighted the challenges and opportunities faced by women in this space. This programme is deeply personal to me as a reflection of the untapped potential and stories waiting to be told in the UK Jazz scene.”

The project will include some very special releases, launching with the first single – ‘Uno Punto Uno’ by Rosa Brunello.

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