Summer Jazz Academy (Letnia Akademia Jazzu)

Annual jazz festival organized by Wytwórnia Foundation based in Łódź. The festival takes place in July and August presenting Polish and international jazz artists. Curated by Karolina Juzwa.
Summer Jazz Academy is one of the biggest jazz festivals in Poland. Organized by Wytwornia Foundation, it is a part of Lakowa 29 complex, cultural centre created in the premises of former Feature Film Production Company, birthplace of Polish cinematography.

What began as a weekend of jazz concerts back in 2007 has evolved into one of the most highly anticipated musical events of the summer. Summer Jazz Academy aims at reminding the musical output of the greatest Polish composers through modern artists and contemporary arrangements. Every year, SJA commissions new music from leading Polish and international composers and presents it at Wytwornia. Over the last ten years, the event has become an important celebration of the country's vibrant scene and unique personalities as well a stage presenting top-class jazz musicians from all over the world such as Charles Lloyd, Pharoah Sanders, Jan Garbarek, Erlend Skomsvoll, Iiro Rantala, Michael Wollny, Ed Partyka Jazz Orchestra, Jim Black, Sidsel Endresen & Stian Westerhus, Sofia Jernberg & Mette Rassmusen, Beady Belle, Marcin Wasilewski Trio, Tomasz Stańko, or Mark Feldman. Larger and larger crowds came out each year and the Festival become one of the main cultural events of region.

Wytwórnia Foundation is also the organizer of Intl Jazz Platform – Master Workshop for Creative Jazz and Improvised Music, which provides an opportunity for European musicians to meet, share experiences, establish international contacts and learn from each other. The core aspect of the scheme is a partnership relation between students and members of faculty. Intl Jazz Platform is a much needed bridge between study-time and professional life. The workshop is all about free exchange of musical concepts and thoughts, about collective creation of music and peer-to-peer learning. For the last 5 years Intl Jazz Platform hosted the following artists as faculty members: John Escreet, Dominik Wania, Sidsel Endresen, Maciej Obara, Tom Arthurs, Ole Morten Vaagan, Andreas Lang, Jim Black, Thomas Stronen, Gard Nilssen and Jon Falt.