Green Pilot Tour - United in Jazz: Ukraine Meets Spain
28 June – 4 July 2026
A new international collaboration is bringing together young musicians from Ukraine and Spain through the universal language of jazz. “United in Jazz: Ukraine Meets Spain” unites the Ukrainian trio ShekBand and the Spanish educational ensemble Jazz for Kids for a week of concerts, workshops, artistic exchanges and conversations across rural communities in the Aragón region of Spain.
Born out of encounters during jazzahead! 2025 within the framework of the Resonate UA capacity-building programme for Ukrainian music professionals, the project quickly found enthusiastic support among Spanish partners and festivals, including Huesca es Jazz and Festival Castillo de Aínsa.
From 28 June to 4 July 2026, the musicians will travel through Huesca, Zaragoza, Aínsa, Fonz and Albelda, creating spaces for artistic dialogue, experimentation and peer learning. Alongside the performances, the programme includes workshops, artist talks, conferences and educational activities designed to engage local audiences and foster meaningful cultural exchange.
For ShekBand, the tour is an opportunity to share the experience of creating music under wartime conditions and to reflect on questions of identity, resilience and the future of Ukrainian culture. Through encounters with young Spanish musicians and local communities, the project highlights the role of music as a bridge between people and a powerful tool for solidarity.
Tour Schedule
28 June 2026 – Huesca es Jazz
Huesca
1 July 2026 – Centro Joaquín Roncal / Noches de Verano + Artist Talk
Zaragoza
2 July 2026 – Festival Castillo de Aínsa + Workshop and Masterclass by Alejandro Esperanza (piano)
Aínsa
3 July 2026 – Fonz Festival
Fonz
4 July 2026 – Dissabtes a la Nit + Conference
Albelda
Line-Up
ShekBand (Ukraine)
- Anna Shekera – piano & harp
- Maksym Shekera – drums
- Artem Shekera – double bass
Jazz for Kids (Spain)
- Alba Losilla – clarinet
- Juan Salamero – alto saxophone
- June Navarro – double bass & accordion
- together with the Jazz for Kids Band (approximately 15 young musicians)
The project is part of the Green Pilot Tours initiative launched by the Europe Jazz Network (EJN) to encourage sustainable and meaningful international collaboration in the jazz sector. It is realized by EJN members, the Ukrainian Institute and Jazz Platform Spain, in close partnership with Jazz for Kids, bringing together artists and communities through environmentally conscious touring, cultural exchange and shared artistic creation.