Preston Jazz and Improvisation Festival is a festival of music and culture for the city of Preston with community at its beating heart. 

 

Now a key event on Preston’s cultural calendar, it has become the best attended yearly music event in the city region with circa 10,000 people attending and getting involved each year. 

 

The 2025 festival presented 42 different activities including 18 world class concerts and 24 participatory workshops across 17 different locations throughout the city and surrounding areas.  

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We would like to thank you for supporting and participating in the festival over the years, which has now been running since 2018.​

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Community is the beating heart of the festival so it is with great pride that we were recognised in the Educate North Awards 2025. Preston Jazz and Improvisation Festival was a finalist in this year's Community Engagement Award category.

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Moving forward, we would love to hear from anyone who would like to be part of our 2026 festival, put on a gig, perform, etc..., and welcome any ideas about what you might like from us.

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The festival is supported by organisations including Arts Council England, Preston City Council, the University of Lancashire, the Lancashire Music Association and Lancashire Music Hub, Institute of Creativity, Communities and Culture (ICCC), uniting music stakeholders, presenting world class music, supporting young people’s musical development and providing opportunities to perform at public concerts and supporting new promoters.  

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We are a festival for the people of Preston and the surrounding areas, and we want you to know this is YOUR festival.