April 30 marks the celebration of UNESCO’s International Jazz Day. In addition to highlighting jazz’s intrinsic artistic value, the day promotes messages of peace, intercultural collaboration and respect for human dignity and human rights. The Finnish Jazz Federation is organizing a week-and-a-half-long Jazz Day campaign, led this year by artists Emilia Sisco and Juhani “Junnu” Aaltonen.
Oulu Music Festival organizes an open call for the summer 2026 Jazzpatio. The application period is open until 19 April, 2026.
The year 2026 marks the centennial of jazz’s symbolic arrival in Finland aboard the ship Andania. It will be a historic jubilee for Finnish jazz: the Jazz in Finland 100 Anniversary Year. The arrival of jazz had a significant impact on the development of Finnish popular music and culture.
The annual Jazz-Espa festival will take place in Helsinki’s Esplanade Park from July 28 to August 2, 2025. The free concerts will feature fifteen of Finland’s most exciting contemporary jazz ensembles, including Maja Mannila Trio, Iro Haarla Ouranos Ensemble, Aurora Hentunen Quintet, Roope Kantonen 3 and Kalima–Lötjönen–Ounaskari. The opening day’s panel discussion takes a look ahead to next year’s Jazz in Finland 100 anniversary celebrations. Jazz-Espa’s Children’s Saturday will entertain the whole family with performances by Jazzkamelit and Django Collective Helsinki.
The application to Finnish Jazz Federation tours for spring 2026 opens at 11.00 AM on May 22, 2025 and closes at 4.00 PM on June 11, 2025. Application instructions can be found in this article as well as on the electronic application form.
Emma-nominated jazz pianist and composer Anni Kiviniemi will embark on a Jazz Federation tour in May with her trio. Joining Kiviniemi are two of Finland’s most sought-after jazz musicians: bassist Jori Huhtala and drummer Olavi Louhivuori.
Blending jazz, Middle Eastern music, and global folk traditions, Ilkka Arola Sound Tagine will perform across Finland on the Jazz Federation Tour this April. The band will present their newly released fourth album, Adventures in the Now, bringing energetic and vividly colorful music to audiences. The tour kicks off on April 8th in Lahti, followed by stops in Jyväskylä, Savonlinna, Raahe, and Espoo.
Take part in a survey about the Jazz Finland website, maintained by the Finnish Jazz Federation, and contribute to its future development.
Oulu Music Festival organizes an open call for the summer 2025 Oulu Music Festival and Jumpru Pub's Summer Jazzpatio and for the Night of the Arts. The application period is open from January 17 to March 31, 2025.
WOMEX, the Worldwide Music Expo, has opened the Call for Proposals for its 31st edition. This year, WOMEX will take place in Tampere, Finland, from 22 to 26 October 2025, inviting the global music community to come together in celebration of musical diversity and innovation.
