The Conference is taking place between 25-28 September 2025 in the city centre of Bari, the capital of the Puglia region in the south of Italy, and is organised by EJN together with EJN member Puglia Sounds, the project of Puglia Culture promoted by the Puglia Region.
We have opened the registrations for EJN members and non-members alike for the 2025 Conference, through the Eventbrite platform, available at this link.
EJN members will receive an individual email with an code that grants access to 2 free registrations, plus one '30 under 30' registration. Non-members can also register for the European Jazz Conference 2025 by paying a registration fee of €260, that gives access to all the Conference sessions, showcases and concerts, cultural activities and lunches and dinners on the days of Friday and Saturday. PLEASE NOTE, there is a limited number of standard registrations available (65 for now) so please don’t wait and register now if you want to be sure to join us in Bari.
About the 11th European Jazz Conference: Somewhere Called Home
Nestling along the Adriatic coast of the South of Italy, Bari is a city where history, culture, and creativity come alive - making it the perfect destination for our annual gathering.
A port city at the heart of the Mediterranean, Bari has a long history of hosting and welcoming individuals, demonstrating hospitality and solidarity during various periods of migration. As a gateway to Europe, the city has received refugees from diverse regions, showcasing the openness and generosity of its local community. This unique cultural and historical context makes Bari an ideal location for addressing the theme of this year’s conference: the positive contribution that migrants - and global movements of people - have played in the development of culture and diversity, and the vital role that culture must play in tackling the present societal challenges. The conference’s title, “Somewhere Called Home”, inspired by Norma Winstone’s 1987 ECM album, captures this theme, reflecting the universal search for belonging, and the profound connections that music can create.
The theme for the 2025 edition highlights the transformative potential of cultural initiatives in addressing pressing global challenges. It aims to inspire action, reaffirm our shared human values, and demonstrate how arts and culture can foster inclusion, solidarity, and resilience within diverse societies. Creative music - and jazz in particular - offers a powerful example of how we can build thriving communities based on our shared values, while helping us understand and navigate the complex dynamics now present in Europe, and the world at large.
Co-organised by the Europe Jazz Network in collaboration with EJN member Puglia Sounds, the project of Puglia Culture promoted by the Puglia Region, the European Jazz Conference is a leading event for jazz professionals from across Europe and beyond. Each year, the conference brings together promoters, agents, managers, artists, and cultural institutions to exchange ideas, build networks, and explore innovative approaches to presenting jazz and creative music.
Mark your calendars and join us in Bari for an unforgettable celebration of music, creativity, and collaboration. Together, let's continue to inspire, innovate, and grow the vibrant world of jazz and creative music in Europe.
About Puglia Sounds
Puglia Sounds is a project of the Puglia Region aimed at supporting music professionals and artists from Puglia. With its Puglia Sounds project, Puglia has become the first Italian region to consider music as an economic sector that boosts tourist attractiveness and generates jobs and wealth for the territory, and to devote human and financial resources to its development. Puglia Sounds has been working for years to structure and qualify the music sector, offering opportunities for growth and visibility.
The music sector consists of the creation and production of music, the performance and touring of music, and the internationalization and networking of music projects and players in the music supply chain. This way of looking at the music sector has led to the design and creation of specific calls for proposals. These are published annually and are open to all players in the music supply chain.
Every year, Puglia Sounds produces and hosts Medimex - International Festival & Music Conference. Launched in 2011 as a market fair with a full program of events, live performances and guest artists, in 2017 Medimex became an international festival with great live shows and a constantly updated calendar of events dedicated to the music industry and professional training.
Puglia Sounds, a toolkit designed to contribute to the development of the music industry in Puglia, is a project by Puglia Culture, the Regional Consortium for Arts and Culture.
About EJN and the European Jazz Conference
Europe Jazz Network (EJN) is a European non-profit association of promoters specialised in creative music, contemporary jazz, and improvised music. EJN’s mission is to encourage, promote, and nurture the growth of creative music across Europe, facilitating opportunities for artists, organisers, and audiences from diverse backgrounds to meet, collaborate, and exchange ideas. Its membership comprises 195 organisations- including festivals, clubs, concert venues, and national/regional support organisations- from 36 countries both within Europe and internationally.
The European Jazz Conference stands out as a leading annual gathering for professionals in the creative music sector, particularly promoters, cultural managers, booking agents, and support organisations. Organised each year by Europe Jazz Network in collaboration with one of its members, the Conference fosters long-term relationships, inspires new artistic projects and partnerships, and provides a platform for sharing expertise and exploring current trends in management and programming. Additionally, it serves as a vibrant forum for discovering international music scenes and exchanging best practices from around the globe.
Previous editions of the European Jazz Conference took place in Ghent, Belgium (2024); Marseille, France (2023); Sofia, Bulgaria (2022); Tallinn, Estonia (2021); Novara, Italy (2019); Lisbon, Portugal (2018); Ljubljana, Slovenia (2017); Wroclaw, Poland (2016); Budapest, Hungary (2015); and Helsinki, Finland (2014)
Registrations link: https://www.eventbrite.it/e/european-jazz-conference-2025-bari-italy-tickets-1325416760209
Programme outline: https://www.europejazz.net/conference-2025-programme-outline
Theme 2025: https://www.europejazz.net/conference-2025-about-theme
Brochure: www.europejazz.net/sites/default/files/Documents_ejn_members/dl/various/brochure_aprile_2025_ref_lowres_0.pdf
Travels: www.europejazz.net/sites/default/files/Documents_ejn_members/dl/various/HOW%20TO%20REACH%20BARI_0.pdf
