Leeds Jazz Festival - a celebration of jazz+ activity in Leeds

Leeds Jazz Festival will return for it’s third year from 23rd - 28th May 2024. With two years under our belts, we continue to unite and celebrate the musicians, venues, promoters, audiences and organisations who are part of the Leeds Jazz tapestry - whilst showcasing the best of local, national and international music.

The inaugural event took place between 1st and 12th June 2022. The programme featured a variety of free to access events and ticketed showcases, representing the wide diversity of Jazz in the city, with something for everyone, from the most die-hard jazz fan around to a first time attendee. You can check out the gallery and events listings to get a sense for the 2022 festival.

In 2023 we ran from 25th - 30th May, expanding on the previous years highlights; the Welcome to Leeds Stage and the range of gigs in venues across the city. Lara Jones immersive audio-visual dome Ensō+ was in situ at Leeds Train Station, the curated exhibition ‘The Story of Leeds Jazz through the lens of Denis Dalby’ was at Leftbank, DJ workshops for women, trans, non-binary and gender expansive people took place in Canned Heat all alongside a programme of gigs and panels celebrating the local scene and showcasing bigger names, from Gilles Peterson to Soft Machine and Mica Millar. Watch the highlight video here.

Leeds Jazz Festival is produced by a city-wide network of partners, representing venues, programmers, musicians and more, coordinated by Music:Leeds, with public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England alongside Split, LeedsBID, Welcome to Leeds, Leeds City Council, Rhodes Pianos and Eiger Studios. 

Stay updated through our social media and we’ll see you in May 2024 for more fantastic events in the second city of jazz in the UK.