Who We Are, What We Stand For theme
Partly a super sized talking shop, meet up and showcase the European Jazz Conference 2026 brings together English pianist and composer Alexander Hawkins, American jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and a showcase of 13 German jazz projects this autumn. The event will mark the first time the annual conference has been held in Germany.
Organised by the Europe Jazz Network – a EU and member funded network representing more than 200 member organisations across 38 countries – the conference takes place under the theme Who We Are, What We Stand For.
Sessions will address artistic freedom, sustainability, fair practice, digital technology, diversity, mental health and the future of cultural organisations.
Hawkins’ keynote speech is entitled “The authoritarian’s trap, and the virtue of invisibility.”
A leading figure in European improvised jazz and piano circles read a review of a recent review of Harwkins’ below:
The programme will also feature a conversation with acclaimed singer Dee Dee Bridgewater. Read a review of her outstanding duo album with Bill Charlap Elemental issued last year.
A panel discussion titled So Who Are We, and What Do We Stand For? will bring together Shabnam Parvaresh, Eric Birath, Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen and Daniel Zimmermann, chaired by journalist and presenter Annefleur Schipper.
Parvaresh is artistic director of the Morgenland Festival. Birath is director of Stockholm’s Fasching club and Stockholm Jazz Festival. Pfeiffer-Poensgen is the former State Minister for Culture of North Rhine-Westphalia, while Zimmermann previously served as mayor of Monheim.
Alongside the conference discussions, a showcase festival will present 13 projects from Germany’s current jazz scene. The selected artists are Big Breeezy’s Mumble Mafia, Cheel, Evi Filippou’s InEvitable, Florian Herzog Almost Natural, GANNA, Holly Schlott’s Unique, Malstrom, Neon Dilemma, Olga Reznichenko Trio, Rabih Lahoud’s MASAA, Sera Kalo’s eX.II, Sheen Trio and Zola Mennenöh’s A Labour of Love.
The conference will also host the EJN Awards 2026, recognising contributions to European jazz infrastructure, programming and community work. The event will include a performance by Hyphen Dash, winners of the inaugural Ukrainian Jazz Prize, whose music combines jazz with hip-hop, electronica and fusion.
The European Jazz Conference will be hosted across venues including Stadtgarten Köln, Sartory Hall, Volksbühne and the 25hours Hotel, with the showcase performances also opening parts of the programme to the public.
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