European Jazz Conference
From 24 to 27 September 2026, Cologne will host the European jazz and improvised music community for the first time in Germany. The conference is co-organised by the Europe Jazz Network (EJN) together with three of its members: Stadtgarten Köln, Cologne Jazzweek and the Monheim Triennale.
Bringing together more than 200 EJN member organisations from 38 countries alongside international professionals, the event will explore the role of jazz and improvised music in fostering societal dialogue, driving cultural innovation and strengthening democratic participation.
Under the guiding title “Who We Are, What We Stand For”, the conference’s discussions and exchange formats are designed to spark dialogue and help shape the future direction of the sector.
A central element of the programme is a showcase festival presenting 13 outstanding projects from the current German jazz scene. The event will also feature the EJN Awards 2026, celebrating individuals and organisations whose work has made a lasting impact on the European jazz landscape.
A Sector in Transition
The creative music sector is currently navigating a period of economic and structural change. Rising costs, evolving funding frameworks and increasing political pressures are reshaping the professional landscape. The European Jazz Conference 2026 provides a platform for professionals to come together, share experience and develop forward-looking strategies, while exploring new approaches to sustain and evolve their work.
Societal Discourse and Professional Perspectives
The conference opens with a keynote speech by British pianist Alexander Hawkins, offering a reflection around the Conference title, “Who We Are, What We Stand For”. This is followed by a panel debate that will examine the responsibility of cultural institutions in times of crisis, as well as the role of improvised music in strengthening social cohesion. Panellists include Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen (former Minister for Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia), Shabnam Parvaresh (Morgenland Festival), Eric Birath (Fasching Club & Stockholm Jazz Festival), and Daniel Zimmermann (former Mayor of Monheim am Rhein), and it will be moderated by Annefleur Schipper (journalist, online & TV creator).
The professional programme offers practical tools alongside forward-looking perspectives on key challenges facing the sector. Its thematic range spans sustainable funding models and cultural policy advocacy through to mental health in the context of precarity within the cultural field. Additional panels explore fair practices, digital visibility, and the societal impact of jazz as a catalyst for democratic participation.
The Conference’s programme committee 2026 is composed by: Karolina Juzwa - chair (Wytwórnia Foundation), Raluca Baicu (North Sea Round Town), Alex Carr (Cheltenham Festivals), Francesca Cerretani (Europe Jazz Network), Reiner Michalke (Monheim Triennale), Steve Mead (Manchester Jazz Festival), Annamaija Saarela (G Livelab Tampere), Giambattista Tofoni (Europe Jazz Network), Janning Trumann (Cologne Jazzweek), Kornelia Vossebein (Stadtgarten Köln), Stefano Zucchiatti (Europe Jazz Network).
Showcase Festival and EJN Awards 2026
Running alongside the discourse programme, a showcase festival highlights the breadth and vitality of the German scene across venues including Stadtgarten Köln, Loft and the Sartory Hall. The 13 selected ensembles were chosen by a specialist curatorial committee comprising Marie Blobel (Jazzwerkstatt Peitz), Reiner Michalke (Monheim Triennale), Louis Rastig (A L'ARME!), Annika Sautter (Leipziger Jazztage), Janning Trumann (Cologne Jazzweek) and Kornelia Vossebein (Stadtgarten). The showcase aims to reflect the artistic quality and diversity of Germany as a creative hub within a wider European context. The programme spans formats from solo performance to larger ensembles, encompassing approaches from free improvisation to interdisciplinary work.
The line-up includes Big Breeezy’s Mumble Mafia, Cheel, Evi Filippou – Inevitable, Florian Herzog Almost Natural, GANNA, Holly Schlott – Unique, Malstrom, Neon Dilemma, the Olga Reznichenko Trio, Rabih Lahoud’s MASAA, Sera Karlo’s EX.II, Sheen Trio, and Zola Mennenhöh – A Labour of Love.
A central element of the programme is the presentation of the EJN Awards 2026, recognising outstanding contributions to the European jazz infrastructure. They will include the 15th EJN Award for Adventurous Programming, the 8th EJN Music & Community Award, and a concert by the Grand Prix winners of the 1st Ukrainian Jazz Prize: Kyiv-based Hyphen Dash, blending elements of jazz, hip-hop, electronica and fusion.
Cologne as a Centre of Innovation
As the first German host city, Cologne underscores the international profile of the region. The conference coincides with the 40th anniversary of Stadtgarten Köln, the “European Centre for Jazz and Contemporary Music”, and- through collaboration with the Monheim Triennale and Cologne Jazzweek- generates fresh momentum for creative and improvised music.
Registrations for the European Jazz Conference 2026 will open on Thursday, 30 April 2026, on the Eventbrite platform, both for EJN members and for regular participants.
For more information, please check out the Conference’s programme brochure that was presented at jazzahead! 2026.
The Europe Jazz Network is co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.
12th European Jazz Conference
24 - 27 September 2026, Cologne, Germany
Who We Are, What We Stand For
Whenever we meet these days, we share stories of our professional struggles: struggles to make ends meet, cope with soaring costs, stay afloat as cultural priorities shift, keep staff motivated, retain audiences and remain optimistic in the face of it all.
The new reality is that our sector is in crisis: the geopolitical climate is worsening each day, with governments in the US and parts of Europe using culture as a tool to drive nationalistic, divisive agendas and to retain power. At the same time, organisations are losing funding, staff and audiences, bringing an increased risk of drained energy and motivation.
In such times, we need strategies to secure our economic and artistic survival, effective tools to influence policymakers and to anchor our role within cultural agendas, and guidance on how to cope with mounting pressures and to renew our sense of purpose. We must strengthen our collective voice as upholders of democratic values and position jazz and improvised music as vital spaces for civic engagement and cultural enrichment. Our duty is not merely to find ways to survive, but to be instrumental in advancing social and democratic prosperity in our societies.
Our actions must reflect what defines us. By reclaiming our sense of mission in a world facing ethical challenges, and by taking strength in numbers, we can continue to assert the value and power of culture. We must recognise what is at stake: hold on to our vision and commit to our role in shaping a more open, democratic and culturally vibrant society. In essence: who we are and what we stand for.
Thursday, 24 September 2026
- FOR EJN MEMBERS ONLY -
14:00 - Registrations for EJN members - 25hours Hotel
15:00 - 15:50 Welcome session for new members and ‘30 under 35’ - 25hours Hotel
16:00 - 17:15 Brainstorm on EJN strategy & next activities (split groups) - 25hours Hotel
18:00 - 20:30 FORMAL EJN GENERAL ASSEMBLY - Volksbühne
- OPEN TO ALL -
20:30 - 21:30 SHOWCASE: Florian Herzog’s Almost Natural - LOFT
- Sebastian Gille – sax
- Chaerin Im – p, synth
- Florian Herzog – b, comp
- Leif Berger – dr
22:30 - 23:00 SHOWCASE: Sera Kalo’s eX.II - Stadtgarten Concert Hall
- Sera Kalo – voc, eb, comp
- Marius Max – sax, efx
- Sofia Eftychidou – b
- Lukas Akintaya – dr
23:30 - 23:50 SHOWCASE: MALSTROM - JAKI, Club at Stadtgarten
- Florian Walter – sax
- Axel Zajac – gtr
- Jo Beyer – dr
Friday, 25 September 2026
09:30 - Registrations for everybody - 25hours Hotel
10:30 - 11:00 Official opening and welcome speeches - Sartory Hall
11:00 - 11:20 KEYNOTE SPEECH: Alexander Hawkins (UK) - Sartory Hall
Alexander Hawkins is a composer, pianist, organist and bandleader widely regarded as one of the most distinctive and innovative voices in contemporary European creative music. Active as a solo performer, band leader and collaborator, he has worked with leading figures across generations and has been widely commissioned by festivals, venues and ensembles worldwide. Alongside his musical practice, he is also a writer and broadcaster, bringing a uniquely reflective perspective to his work as this year’s keynote speaker.
11:30 - 12:30 PANEL DEBATE: Who We Are, What We Stand For - Sartory Hall
Building on the ideas raised in Alexander Hawkins’ keynote, this session brings together artists, programmers and policy makers, guided by a moderator from the media world. Together, they explore what it means to support the creation and presentation of culture, and especially of jazz and improvised music, at a time when artistic values, public funding and freedom of expression can no longer be taken for granted.
- Shabnam Parvaresh (IR/DE), artist & artistic director of Morgenland festival
- Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen (DE), former State Minister for Culture for North Rhine-Westphalia
- Eric Birath (SE), director of Fasching club & Stockholm Jazz Festival
- Daniel Zimmermann (DE), former Mayor of Monheim
- MODERATOR: Annefleur Schipper (NL), journalist, presenter, online & TV creator
12:30 - 13:00 Group photo
13:00 - 14:30 Lunch - 25hours Hotel
15:00 - 16:30 Five parallel DISCUSSION GROUPS - 25hours Hotel
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Resourcing our activities in an increasingly uncertain political & economic environment - FOR LARGE FESTIVALS / VENUES
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Resourcing our activities in an increasingly uncertain political & economic environment - FOR SMALL SCALE CLUBS / FESTIVALS
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Resourcing our activities in an increasingly uncertain political & economic environment - FOR NATIONAL / REGIONAL SUPPORT ORGANISATIONS
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Who’s in the room? Embedding diversity through community-led practice & participation
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From radio to influencers: analysing the changing relationship between jazz & media professionals
17:00 - 17:30 SHOWCASE: Olga Reznichenko Trio - Stadtgarten Concert Hall
- Olga Reznichenko – p, comp
- Lorenz Heigenhuber – b
- Maximilian Stadtfeld – dr
17:40 - 18:10 SHOWCASE: CHEEL - JAKI, Club at Stadtgarten
- Luise Volkmann – sax
- Keisuke Matsuno – gtr
- Max Andrzejewski – dr
18:10 - 19:00 Free time / networking
19:00 - 21:00 Dinner - 25hours Hotel
21:00 - 21:40 SHOWCASE: Zola Mennenöh’s A LABOUR OF LOVE - Sartory Hall
- Zola Mennenöh – voc/comp
- Caecilie Balling – viol
- Emily Wittbrodt – cel
- Kathrin Pechlof – harp
- Gintė Preisaitė – p, synth
- Phil Donkin – b
21:50 - 22:30 SHOWCASE: Holly Schlott’s Unique - Sartory Hall
- Holly Schlott – lead, comp
- Eric Leuthäuser – voc, efx
- Zuza Jasínska – voc, efx
- Julie Sassoon – p
- Benjamin Geyer – synth, efx
- Olga Amelchenko – sax
- Birgitta Flick – sax
- Tanja Becker – trb
- Orlando de Boeykens – tub
- Julius Apriadi – vib
- Tilo Weber – dr
22:30 - Wind-down / social gathering - 25hours Hotel
Saturday, 26 September 2026
09:30 - Registrations for everybody - 25hours Hotel
10:30 - 11:00 Celebration of the EJN Awards 2026 - Sartory Hall
11:00 - 11:30 SHOWCASE: Hyphen Dash / Ukrainian Jazz Prize Winners 2026 - Sartory Hall
- Polina Maiboroda – keys
- Dmytro Startsev – keys, fx
- Yevhen Puhachov – gtr, b
- Mykhailo Birchenko – dr
11:45 - 13:00 Five parallel DISCUSSION GROUPS - 25hours Hotel
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Maintaining values & defending artistic freedom in music programming
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Fair play: shaping a Fair Practice Charter for the creative music sector
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Scene development: cherishing artists, promoters, talent incubators & audiences
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Wellbeing & mental health: setting good practice in our daily work
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Understanding how digital tech is reshaping live music, process and communities
13:00 - 14:30 Lunch - 25hours Hotel
15:00 - 16:00 Speed meetings for EJN members or free time / networking - Stadtgarten restaurant
16:15 - 16:45 SHOWCASE: Rabih Lahoud’s MASAA - Stadtgarten Concert Hall
- Rabih Lahoud – voc
- Reentko Dirks – gtr
- Demian Kappenstein – dr, perc
- Marcus Rust – trp, flg
16:45 - 17:15 Wrap-up and presentation of the European Jazz Conference 2027 - Stadtgarten Concert Hall
17:30 - 18:00 SHOWCASE: Sheen Trio - JAKI, Club at Stadtgarten
- Shabnam Parvaresh – bcla, cla, efx, comp
- Ula Martyn-Ellis – gtr
- Philipp Buck – dr
18:15 - 18:45 SHOWCASE: NEON DILEMMA - Stadtgarten Concert Hall
- Elias Stemeseder – p, synth
- Robert Landfermann – b
- Leif Berger – dr
19:00 - 21:00 Dinner - Stadtgarten beer garden
21:00 - 21:30 SHOWCASE: Evi Fillipou’s InEvitable - Stadtgarten Concert Hall
- Zuza Jasinska – voc
- Evi Filippou – vib, perc, voc, comp
- Keisuke Matsuno – gtr
- Robert Lucaciu – b
- Jim Hart – dr
21:45 - 22:15 SHOWCASE: GANNA - JAKI, Club at Stadtgarten
- GANNA – voc, synth, gtr
- Vojta Drnek – acc
- Laura Robles – cajon, congas, perc
22:30 - 23:10 SHOWCASE: BIG BREEEZY´s MUMBLE MAFIA - Stadtgarten Concert Hall
- Fabian Dudek – sax
- Victor Fox – sax, comp
- Roger Kintopf – eb
- Joshua Knauber – dr
23:15 - Wind-down / afterparty - Stadtgarten
Sunday, 27 September 2026
10:30 - 13:00 Cultural tours & activities (TBA)
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Programme committee 2026: Karolina Juzwa - chair (Wytwórnia Foundation, PL), Raluca Baicu (North Sea Round Town, NL), Alex Carr (Cheltenham Festivals, UK), Francesca Cerretani (Europe Jazz Network, IT), Reiner Michalke (Monheim Triennale, DE), Steve Mead (Manchester Jazz Festival, UK), Annamaija Saarela (G Livelab Tampere, FI), Giambattista Tofoni (Europe Jazz Network, IT), Janning Trumann (Cologne Jazzweek, DE), Kornelia Vossebein (Stadtgarten Köln, DE), Stefano Zucchiatti (Europe Jazz Network, IT).
Showcase curators 2026: Marie Blobel (Jazzwerkstatt Peitz), Reiner Michalke (Monheim Triennale), Louis Rastig (A L'ARME!), Annika Sautter (Leipziger Jazztage), Janning Trumann (Cologne Jazzweek) and Kornelia Vossebein (Stadtgarten)
Stadtgarten Köln
Stadtgarten Köln is internationally recognised as one of Europe’s leading venues for contemporary and improvised music. Today, it hosts more than 400 events each year, spanning the full breadth of current musical expression. Its international reputation is rooted above all in the strength of its ambitious and experimental programming. Alongside leading international artists and ensembles, outstanding projects from Cologne’s local scene and the wider North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) region receive dedicated support and a prominent platform.
Since 2017, in partnership with the City of Cologne and the state of NRW, Stadtgarten Köln has been developed into the ‘European Centre for Jazz and Contemporary Music’. A key component of this initiative is the NICA artist development programme, established at Stadtgarten in 2019 and realised by the venue. Funded by the state of NRW, NICA supports exceptional artists working in jazz and contemporary music at pivotal stages in their careers. Beyond its diverse concert and cultural programme, Stadtgarten serves as a vital production hub and meeting point for the jazz and improvisation scenes in Cologne and across NRW. It regularly commissions new works and provides rehearsal and production space for premieres.
In September 2026, Stadtgarten Köln celebrates its 40th anniversary.
Monheim Triennale
The Monheim Triennale was an international music festival held in Monheim am Rhein. A key feature was its three-year cycle comprising the editions The Sound, The Prequel, and The Festival. The final edition of the Monheim Triennale took place in 2025.
For The Sound in 2023, fifteen internationally renowned artists developed site-specific sound art works and presented them in public spaces for four weeks. In 2024, five international curators, together with festival director Reiner Michalke, invited sixteen musicians and composers to the small town of Monheim am Rhein. The result was an incredibly diverse cross-section of the contemporary music scene, spanning all national and genre boundaries. These musicians first met at the workshop edition The Prequel 2024 and performed in various constellations over the course of three days. They then developed specific projects, the so-called signature projects, for bands and ensembles, which they presented at The Festival 2025.
In addition, through diverse collaborations with local ensembles, schools, and other educational institutions, the Monheim Triennale offered all interested parties the opportunity for direct engagement through artistic workshops, artist talks, and concerts.
Cologne Jazzweek
Founded in 2021, Cologne Jazzweek has rapidly established itself as one of Europe’s leading festivals for jazz and improvised music. Emerging from Cologne’s vibrant and internationally connected jazz scene, the festival reflects the city’s reputation as a hub for innovative music.
Each year, Cologne Jazzweek presents more than 50 concerts across over 20 venues, ranging from major concert halls to independent clubs and interdisciplinary spaces. Its program brings together internationally acclaimed artists and emerging voices, creating a platform that connects local identity with global perspectives.
The festival operates with a rotating curatorial board, whose members serve two-year terms, ensuring a continuously evolving artistic perspective. Artistic director Janning Trumann oversees the overall vision. Cologne Jazzweek focuses on artistic exchange, new productions, and sustainable collaboration, strengthening Cologne’s role as a key meeting point for the international jazz community.
