Jana Langegger – EJN Staff Exchange 2025

Sending EJN member: Jazzfestival Saalfelden (Austria)
Hosting EJN member: Manchester Jazz Festival (UK)
Dates of the exchange: 16–21 March 2025

From 16 to 21 March 2025, I took part in a staff exchange with the Manchester Jazz Festival team, gaining valuable insights into their work and festival organisation.

On my first day, I was warmly welcomed by Steve, who picked me up from the airport. During a walk through the city, he introduced me to the plan for the week and shared initial insights into the festival and its structure.

Monday began at the office with meetings with Heather and Evie, where I learned more about their roles. I accompanied Heather to a storage facility and later visited a music shop to check pianos for the upcoming Piano Trail launch. Back at the office, Steve gave me an in-depth overview of the festival’s programming and the support they provide to artists, which I found particularly insightful.

Tuesday was filled with meetings, starting with a full team discussion reflecting on milestones from the previous year and adjusting upcoming deadlines, followed by the weekly team meeting. Later, we visited Aviva Studios to explore marketing opportunities for the festival, including the placement of promotional materials. I also assisted Mary with artist information and ended the day with a team dinner.

On Wednesday, I had an interesting conversation with Nathalie, the General Manager, and in the afternoon I explored several festival locations with Steve. In the evening, I attended a meeting with the Youth Advisory Board at Matt and Phred’s and experienced a live gig, which gave me a firsthand impression of the festival atmosphere.

Thursday included conversations with Jenni and Evie, followed by a content creation session while walking through the city. I also discussed survey tools with Jenni before attending the Piano Trail launch, where four artists performed.

Overall, the exchange was an exciting, enriching, and highly informative experience. The Manchester Jazz Festival team was incredibly welcoming, and I truly appreciated the opportunity to learn from their expertise and working methods.