From September 25 to 28 in Bari, the prestigious annual gathering of jazz and creative music professionals worldwide will bring together over 400 international delegates. A remarkable showcase for the Apulian and the Italian jazz scene, featuring three days of music and networking.
Showcase Call Now Open
The European jazz community will convene in Bari, Puglia, from September 25 to 28, 2025, for the European Jazz Conference, a leading annual meeting for professionals in jazz, creative, and improvised music. This unique event gathers over 400 delegates from 40 countries, including promoters, cultural managers, agents, artistic directors of festivals and venues, and representatives of national and regional support organisations.
As the only event of its kind in Europe, the conference fosters long-lasting professional relationships, new projects and collaborations, knowledge sharing, and insights into the latest trends in the field. It also highlights global music scenes and best practices, including those beyond Europe.
The event in Bari will serve as a prestigious platform for Apulian and Italian music, offering three days of live performances and meetings in some of the city’s most iconic venues. The showcase call is now open, inviting artists to apply and present the most exciting developments in the Apulian and national jazz scenes to international professionals. Visit this link to apply.
The Conference in Bari is co-organised by the Europe Jazz Network (EJN) and Puglia Culture as part of the Puglia Sounds initiative, a regional music development project in collaboration with the Puglia Region. Puglia Sounds has been a member of the Europe Jazz Network since 2012, the same year it hosted the network’s General Assembly in Bari.
“Hosting the European Jazz Conference in Puglia is a great source of pride and confirms the importance of the work done by Puglia Culture over the years to support the Apulian music sector through the Puglia Sounds project,” said Michele Emiliano, Presidente della Regione Puglia. “Organising such a significant event means investing in the future and placing Puglia once again on an international stage. The presence of such a qualified audience will further drive the internationalisation of our music sector and significantly promote the region.”
"Thrilled to announce the 11th European Jazz Conference is coming to Italy! This September, over 400 music professionals will gather in the beautiful city of Bari to celebrate the vibrant Apulian music scene, to exchange ideas and to explore the city's rich cultural heritage. It is a great pleasure for EJN to return to Bari, following our memorable General Assembly here in 2012. We can’t wait to see you all there!” said Karolina Juzwa, President of the Europe Jazz Network.
“We are delighted to welcome such an important event to Puglia, marking another step forward for the Apulian music scene,” said Viviana Matrangola, Assessore Cultura, tutela e sviluppo delle imprese culturali, Politiche Migratorie, Legalità e Antimafia sociale Regione Puglia. “This will be a significant showcase for Puglia and its music, offering our artists and operators the opportunity to expand their international presence.”
“Internationalisation and networking have been two key pillars of our work over the past fifteen years to develop Puglia’s music sector,” said Paolo Ponzio, Presidente Puglia Culture. “Hosting the European Jazz Conference in Puglia marks both a culmination of this work and a starting point for the sustainable development of the Apulian jazz sector.”
“Puglia is reaffirmed as a land of jazz. The EJN’s decision to hold its annual conference in Bari confirms the exceptional quality of our jazz scene and rewards the extensive work we have done internationally over the years,” said Cesare Veronico, Coordinatore artistico Puglia Sounds. “The presence of such a major event in Puglia, combined with our initiatives to promote the internationalisation of Puglian music, will yield tangible results for years to come.”
About the European Jazz Conference
The European Jazz Conference features keynote speeches and panels on key topics of the music sector, high-level discussion groups and workshops, networking sessions for music professionals, cultural tours, and a showcase festival highlighting the host country’s top artists. Previous editions 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).
EJN and its activities are currently supported by the European Union’s Creative Europe programme for cultural networks from 2025 to 2028.
