Thursday, 25 September 2025
- FOR EJN MEMBERS ONLY -
13:00 - 20:30 Registrations for EJN members - Kursaal Foyer
15:00 - 15:50 Welcome session for new members and ‘30 under 30’ - Kursaal Galleria
16:00 - 17:15 Presentation of the EJN activities and general discussion - Kursaal Sala Teatro
17:15 - 17:45 Coffee break - Bar La Biglietteria
18:00 - 20:30 FORMAL EJN GENERAL ASSEMBLY - Kursaal Sala Teatro
- OPEN TO ALL -
21:00 - 23:45 FRINGE festival: Street concerts by students of Niccolò Piccinni Conservatory & Pentagramma music school - Via Sparano, corner of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II
Concerts and performances by young and emerging jazz musicians, nurtured in conservatories, music schools, workshops and clubs, will take place across the old town and Murat district of the city. The event highlights Bari’s role as a cultural hub connecting the Mediterranean and Europe through music and dialogue.
Friday, 26 September 2026
09:30 - 13:00 Registrations for everybody - Teatro Piccinni Foyer
10:30 - 11:00 Official opening and welcome speeches - Teatro Piccinni
11:00 - 11:20 KEYNOTE SPEECH: Nabil Bey Salameh “Home in the In-Between” - Teatro Piccinni (speech in Italian with on-screen translation in English)
A poetic and political journey in search of what “home” means for those who live between worlds. Drawing on his personal experience as a Palestinian migrant artist, Nabil Bey weaves together reflections on music, migration, and the Mediterranean as a shared space - to speak about life “in the in-between,” that liminal space between languages, cultures, and memories. This keynote explores the power of music - and jazz in particular - as a language of resistance, restoration, and reconciliation in a time marked by war, exclusion, and dehumanisation. It is an invitation to imagine and build a new kind of home: open, plural, and rooted in listening.
11:30 - 12:30 PANEL DEBATE: Sounds of Home - Can music help overcome fear and division in our societies? - Teatro Piccinni
In an era of extreme polarisation, increasing division and hostility toward the "other," can music truly foster a sense of belonging and break down barriers? This panel debate brings together artists, promoters, and researchers to explore the power of music, and in particular of jazz and other creative music, in shaping inclusive societies. Can it counter stereotypes, challenge hostility toward migrants, and inspire genuine connections? Or is the idea of music as a tool for social change just an oversimplified and idealistic narrative? Join us as we debate the real impact, challenges, and potential of music in building bridges across cultures and in creating more open and just societies.
- Soweto Kinch (artist and broadcaster, UK)
- Titia Bouwmeester (Orchestre Partout / 5eKwartier, Netherlands)
- Pino Pecorelli (BabelNova Orchestra, Italy)
- Moderator: Anna Umbima (writer and broadcaster, UK)
12:40 - 13:10 SHOWCASE: Camilla Battaglia ‘ELEkTRA’ - Teatro Piccinni
13:30 - 14:30 Lunch - Mövenpick hotel
14:30 - 19:00 Late registrations - Castello Svevo Ingresso
15:00 - 16:30 Five parallel DISCUSSION GROUPS - Castello Svevo
#1 - Embracing cultural entrepreneurship to future-proof our organisations - Sala Conferenze
As public and traditional funding models become less reliable, embracing cultural entrepreneurship is increasingly a path that can help ensure the sustainability of our organisations. This session will explore how entrepreneurial thinking can help festivals, venues, and cultural operators become more financially resilient. From collaborations with innovators and startups, to alternative financing models, participants will examine practical examples from other cultural sectors and discuss how to fundraise and foster public-private partnerships tailored to the jazz and creative music field.
- Speaker: Gökçe Dervişoğlu Okandan (academic & cultural policy expert, Türkiye)
- Moderator: Murat Sezgi (Bozcaada Jazz Festival, Türkiye /Germany)
#2 - Sharing the message: communicating social and environmental values in live music - Torre dei Minorenni
Effective communication is at the heart of meaningful change. This session explores how festivals, venues, and organisations can communicate their commitment to sustainability and broader social values in ways that resonate with audiences, focussing on strategies to build trust, inspire action, and make responsible practices an integral part of the live music experience. With real-life examples from the sector, we will highlight how thoughtful messaging can turn participation into a shared cultural statement.
- Armelle Llop (Le Périscope / Better Live, France)
- Moderator: Mathilde Sallez (Le Périscope / Better Live, France)
- #3 - The social and political role of curators and programmers - Sala Federico II
How do our curatorial choices navigate the complex social and political landscape of today? This discussion group will delve into the responsibilities we hold in shaping our programmes, fostering partnerships and creating space for artists. We'll explore how to cope with political tendencies, how we can facilitate discussions, and how we can ensure our programming is accessible to diverse audiences. Join us to collectively consider how we can empower artists through our programmes and engage communities through the power of music. We will not find all the answers, but we can certainly try.
- Patricia Pascal (Tomorrow's Warriors, UK)
- Shane Burmania (Bumhuis, Netherlands)
- Xavier Lemettre (Banlieues Bleues / La Dynamo, France)
- Moderator: Marzio Scholten (Jazz International Rotterdam / RAUW, Netherlands)
#4 - The elephant in the room: addressing burnout in the music industry workforce - Sala Aragonese
Burnout is a growing issue across the music sector, yet too often ignored or minimised. This session addresses the systemic causes of burnout in the music sector, from blurred work-life boundaries to the culture of overwork, and explores practical ways to build healthier, more sustainable working environments. We’ll look at how to manage time, teams and events amid limited resources, and how to foster workplace cultures where speaking openly about stress and workload is not a weakness, but a necessary step toward long-term well-being.
- Chair: Rosana Corbacho (M.I. Therapy, Spain)
- Alex Carr (Cheltenham Festivals, UK)
#5 - Unseen faces / unheard voices: how to ensure migrant communities have a meaningful place in our programmes and organisations - Cappella Palatina
How can the music sector more meaningfully include migrant communities, not just on stage, but across audiences, teams, and decision-making spaces? This session will share practical examples of how EJN members and partners have built inclusive programmes, collaborated with migrant-led organisations, and responded to social and political tensions through music. We’ll also explore internal strategies for structural change, including data collection and inclusive governance, to ensure migrant voices are not only heard, but empowered.
- Eva Frost (JazzDanmark, Denmark)
- Koblan Bonaventure Amissah (Bari in Jazz / Festa dei Popoli, Italy)
- Moderator: Háshem Kabreet (Orchestre Partout, Syria / Netherlands)
- Moderator: Titia Bouwmeester (Orchestre Partout / 5eKwartier, Netherlands)
16:30 - 17:00 Coffee break - Castello Svevo Atrio Federiciano
17:00 - 17:30 SHOWCASE: VMV Trio - Castello Svevo Cortile
17:45 - 18:15 SHOWCASE: Anaïs Drago ‘Relevé’- Castello Svevo Cortile
18:30 - 19:00 SHOWCASE: Bring Your Horn - Castello Svevo Cortile
19:00 - 20:00 Free time / networking
20:00 - 21:30 Dinner - Mövenpick hotel
FRINGE festival in parallel in two venues in the city centre:
Auditorium Diocesano Vallisa
21:00 - 21:30 CONCERT: Zoe Pia & le Sculture Sonanti
21:40 - 22:10 CONCERT: Federica Michisanti Trio
22:20 - 22:50 CONCERT: Sliders (Filippo Vignato, Federico Pierantoni, Lorenzo Manfredini)
23:00 - 23:30 CONCERT: Alberto Parmegiani ‘Millennium’ feat. Angela Esmeralda
Kursaal Santalucia
21:00 - 21:40 CONCERT: Pierluigi Balducci Ensemble feat. Badrya Razem ‘Kosmos & Chaos’
21:50 - 22:30 CONCERT: Mike Rubini ‘Extensive Quartet’ feat. Andrea Andreoli
22:40 - 23:20 CONCERT: Lisa Manosperti ‘Uncaged Bird’
23:30 - 00:10 CONCERT: Giuseppe Bassi Quartet
Saturday, 27 September 2025
10:00 - 13:30 Registrations for everybody - Castello Svevo Entrance
10:30 - 11:00 Coffee & Networking - Castello Svevo Atrio Federiciano
11:00 - 11:30 SHOWCASE: Matteo Bortone ‘No Land's’ - Castello Svevo Cortile
11:40 - 13:00 Four parallel WORKING GROUPS - Castello Svevo
#1 - Meet your fellow members: Speed Dates (for EJN members only) - Sala Normanna
An informal and fast-paced networking session exclusively for EJN members. In a series of 10-minute one-to-one conversations, you’ll have the chance to meet up with your colleagues-new or familiar-and exchange ideas, needs, and opportunities. A simple and effective way to connect, share, and spark new collaborations within the network.
- Facilitator: Mark van Schaick (Buma Cultuur / inJazz, Netherlands)
#2 - Good vibes only: How do we define and prevent unwanted behaviours and create welcoming spaces in our festivals and venues? - Sala Conferenze
Where do we draw the line between problematic behavior and freedom of expression? Who gets to define what harassment is? Uncertainty makes it hard to speak up, and take actions. Therefore, in this session, we will look at gray areas of behaviours, and try to pinpoint what harassment and sexual harassment are. We will look at statistics, risks in the music sector and possible measures to prevent it. Balansekunst is a Norwegian membership association for cultural institutions working towards an equitable and diverse industry.
- Chair: Eivind Breilid (Balansekunst, Norway)
#3 - Smart sounds and smarter systems: AI tools for creative music organisers - Torre dei Minorenni
This session introduces generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) as a transformative set of tools capable of supporting, and not replacing, the creative processes in the live music sector. From automating administrative workflows to generating visual and audio promotional assets, GenAI empowers event organisers to focus more on curating experiences and less on routine technicalities. The session will also focus on the ethical and regulatory dimensions of this technological shift. Emphasis will be placed on ensuring transparency, human oversight, and creative control in all AI-mediated processes. This vision, aligned with the European AI Act, advocates for a cooperative model in which AI enhances cultural innovation without eroding human authorship or rights.
- Emanuele Frontoni (Macerata University, Italy)
- Moderator: Giambattista Tofoni (EJN, France)
#4 - For a better music ecosystem: joint session for agents and programmers - Sala Federico II
A dedicated space for an open dialogue between programmers and artists' agents and managers, building on similar previous EJN sessions on the topic. This joint session will explore how to improve mutual understanding, build stronger working relationships, and promote fairer practices across the whole music ecosystem. A chance to address common challenges and work together toward more balanced and sustainable collaboration models for promoting creative and improvised music.
- Moderator: Sylvain Elie (Le Petit faucheux, France)
- Moderator: Malwina Witkowska (No Earplugs, Norway)
13:00 - 13:15 Group photo - Castello Svevo Scalinata
13:30 - 14:30 Lunch - Mövenpick hotel
15:30 - 16:00 Celebration of the EJN Awards 2025 - Teatro Piccinni
16:00 - 16:30 SHOWCASE: SC’ÖÖF (CH), EJN Zenith Award winner 2025 - Teatro Piccinni
16:30 - 17:00 Closing remarks & presentation of the European Jazz Conference 2026 - Teatro Piccinni
17:00 - 17:30 SHOWCASE: Esmeralda Sella - Teatro Piccinni
17:45 - 18:15 SHOWCASE: Matteo Paggi ‘GIRAFFE’ - Teatro Piccinni
18:15 - 20:00 Free time / Networking
20:00 - 21:30 Dinner - Mövenpick hotel
FRINGE festival in an outdoor stage: Piazza del Ferrarese
21:00 - 21:40 CONCERT: Gaetano Partipilo ‘Boom Collective’ feat. Hermon Mehari
21:50 - 22:30 CONCERT: Raffaele Casarano ‘Anì Live’
22:40 - 23:20 CONCERT: Nicola Conte ‘Umoja’
23:40 - 00:20 CONCERT: Artchipel Orchestra & Guests (Roberto Ottaviano, Gianluca Petrella, Luisiana Lorusso)
Sunday, 28 September 2025
Cultural tours & activities (by reservation ONLY)
Meeting point: Largo Eroi del Mare, Bari
10:30 - 12:30 Option #1: Walking tour of the old town and Bari city centre
10:00 - 17:00 Option #2: Walking tour of Alberobello - transfer from/to Bari by coach
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Programme committee 2025: Karolina Juzwa (Wytwórnia Foundation, PL), Steve Mead (Manchester Jazz Festival, UK), Mark van Schaick (Buma Cultuur, NL), Alex Carr (Cheltenham Festivals, UK), Max von Pretz (Südtirol Jazzfestival Alto Adige, IT), Claudia Sergio (Puglia Culture, IT), Maddalena Ciocca (Puglia Culture, IT), Giambattista Tofoni (Europe Jazz Network, IT), Francesca Cerretani (Europe Jazz Network, IT), Stefano Zucchiatti (Europe Jazz Network, IT).
The topics of the 2025 discussion groups were suggested by the EJN members through an open call, many thanks again to all those who replied with their suggestions!
Showcase selection committee 2025: Ugo Sbisa' (journalist, IT), Sandra Costantini (Jazz Network/Crossroads, IT), Valerio Corzani (artist and journalist, IT).
