Jazz Futures Conference at 12 Points, in collaboration with Better Live and Tampere City Library

At each edition of 12 Points we like to take advantage of having the collective minds of jazz professionals to discuss where jazz music is now and, more importantly, where it will be in 5, 10 or 20 years.

Jazz Futures has become an annual ‘State of the EUnion’ for industry professionals and an important opportunity and platform for debate, interaction, and action at European level.

This year, in collaboration with the Better Live programme and Tampere City Library, panels and discussions explore the future of jazz in relation to the environment and sustainability amongst other topics. The Better Live programme is a Creative Europe-funded initiative, exploring sustainable concerts and low-carbon tours with 11 European partners.

Professional musicians and all music-lovers interested in the musical world are welcome to attend.

JAZZ FUTURES PROGRAMME, FRIDAY 27th:

13:30-15:30 BUILDING A RESPONSIBLE TOUR IN TODAY’S MUSIC INDUSTRY
Location: Main Library Metso (address Pirkankatu 2), room Pihlaja (located on the basement floor)

Pierre Dugelay leads an engaging and practical workshop exploring the challenges, possibilities and practical tips of more sustainable touring with specific focus on the challenges and opportunities for musicians.

Despite a very positive image in public opinion, live performance has its share of negative effects in various aspects. How can we design tours that are economically, socially and ecologically responsible?

European projects such as “Better Live”, supported by Le Périscope and other European structures like G Livelab and IMC, are leading a wide-ranging reflection on these issues. This workshop will be an opportunity to share an overview of the impact of live music on climate change, in particular, and to examine together the ways in which our sector can move forward.

We’ll also understand the role of the artist in these changes, and the responsibilities of the various players involved.

Pierre Dugelay is Director of Le Périscope in Lyon, a club and residency venue, space for creation and invention. He is also Vice President of Association Jazz Croisé, and has been a lead on a number of European Cooperation projects, including Better Live, Footprints, and Jazz Connective. At Le Périscope and as part of these projects he works with partners to collaborate and improve on the structures of the improvised music world, exploring practical ways to create a more eco-friendly scene while still focusing on artistic excellence and artist welfare.

16:00 KEYNOTE AND PERFORMANCE BY SELMA SAVOLAINEN
Location: Main Library Metso (address Pirkankatu 2), Music department (2nd floor)

Finnish 12 Points 2024 performer Selma Savolainen’s interview and short performance with pianist Toomas Keski-Säntti. More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1026073029256808

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JAZZ FUTURES PROGRAMME, SATURDAY 28th:

9:30-9:45 Introduction talk from Virgo Sillamaa
Location: Main Library Metso (address Pirkankatu 2), room Lehmus (located on the basement floor)

Virgo Sillamaa is a music policy and ecosystem researcher, educator and consultant from Estonia, currently based in Brussels. With 20+ years of experience in the music sector, he is currently the Research Coordinator of EMEE, European Music Exporters Exchange network, and a board member at the Estonian Authors’ Society.

9:45-11:15 – Panel Discussion: Co-programming as a way for sustainable touring – a real strategy or a green dream?
Location: Main Library Metso (address Pirkankatu 2), room Lehmus (located on the basement floor)

The Better Live project aims to show that creating longer tours with optimised routing, adding diverse kinds of events in smaller places is a way to make touring more sustainable. Both in the sense of reducing the overall carbon footprint from artist and audience mobility as well as taking more culture to smaller places. This can add up to “deep mobility” – more meaningful for the touring artists, enriching for the localities as well better for the planet.

But is this really realistic? Increasing co-programming requires increased cooperation between presenters, bookers and artists. And balancing the focus on optimising only for profit margins (or survival level viability) with other values such as more meaningful connection with smaller places. Meanwhile, on the same planet, Taylor Swift’s tours keep swaying the GDPs of whole countries and multinational corporations keep squeezing the last out of already faltering live music economies.

Why should we still act also on a grassroots level and how to do it? What are the main challenges we must face and which opportunities are we looking to seize?

The session begins with a presentation by Virgo Sillamaa, introducing why, what and how the Better Live project approaches these issues and follows up with a panel discussion that is expected to grow into an open exchange and debate with the audience on these matters.

Panellists: tbc
Moderator: Virgo Sillamaa, EMEE & Better Live, research coordinator

Festivaalin yhteydessä Tampereella järjestetään Jazz Futures -konferenssi yhteistyössä Better Live -EU-hankkeen ja Tampereen kaupunginkirjaston kanssa. Maksuttoman konferenssin keskusteluissa pureudutaan jazzin nykytilaan ja ennen kaikkea sen tulevaisuuteen. Tänä vuonna keskusteluissa painotetaan jazzin tulevaisuutta suhteessa ympäristökysymyksiin, vastuullisuuteen ja saavutettavuuteen. Konferenssin tarkemmat sisällöt ja aikataulut löydät englanninkielisistä tiedoista tällä sivustolla. Kaikki seminaarisisältö toteutetaan englanniksi.

Improvised Music Company is delighted to announce the return of our flagship European festival 12 Points in 2024, for a Nordic edition in partnership with G Livelab Tampere, Finland. 12 Points 2024 and the 12 Points Jazz Futures Conference will take place at G Livelab Tampere from the 25th to the 28th September 2024, featuring 12 rising stars of European jazz and hosting delegates from across Europe.

Described by the Observer as “A four day event hot wired into the changing dynamic of the contemporary European jazz scene.” 12 Points has been a launching point for the next generation of creative and ambitious European jazz artists since its inception.

Based in Dublin, with partners right across Europe, 12 Points alternates between Dublin and other vibrant, young European cities including Stavanger, Porto, Umeå, San Sebastian, Aarhus, and Amsterdam, and is proud to present its first Finnish edition in partnership with G Livelab Tampere.

G Livelab’s director Annamaija Saarela said: “G Livelab Tampere is happy and proud to be a partner of the 12 Points festival in 2024. During its existence, 12 Points has served dozens of young talents as a significant springboard for an international career. We are also happy to present our excellent club to international guests.”

Director of Improvised Music Company and 12 Points Festival, Kenneth Killeen said:
“12 Points is delighted to be in Tampere this year, marking the festival’s return to the Nordic region, after editions in Norway in 2010 and Sweden in 2014. And with it is a deserving spotlight on the interesting music from this focal point of European creativity.”

The enterprising approach to programming and the festival’s nomadic format (alternating between its home in Dublin and other vibrant young European cities) earned the festival the inaugural Europe Jazz Network award for ‘Adventurous Programming’.

12 Points is also a 2017 EFFE Laureate Festival – one of just 26 European festivals selected annually for this prestigious title by the EFA (European Festivals Association).

12 Points is also home to the prestigious Europe Jazz Network Zenith Award. An award for excellence and innovation in emerging artists, the winner of the Zenith Award is selected from the 12 Points line-up by an independent top-level jury of festivals and venue directors, from the Europe Jazz Network, who will be in attendance at 12 Points and listen to all musical acts performing live. The winning ensemble/project receives European performances and promotional opportunities from among the EJN membership, including a prestigious showcase at the European Jazz Conference.

The event will be hosted by Finnish trumpet master Verneri Pohjola, who has also performed at 12 Points with Ilmiliekki in 2007.

Tampere 12 Points is financially supported by the City of Tampere, Arts Promotion Centre Finland and the Wihuri Foundation.

Improvised Music Company is primarily supported by the Arts Council of Ireland / An Chomhairle Ealaíon with support for 12 Points from Culture Ireland.

If the events are not sold out, there will be student tickets available at the door for 7 € each (student tickets not sold online) before the shows start. Please show your student card when purchasing student tickets. The concerts have no age limit. Children under school age can enter gigs free of charge.

Ensimmäistä kertaa Suomessa järjestettävä kansainvälinen 12 Points -festivaali juhlistaa uutta eurooppalaista jazzia Tampereella syyskuussa!

12 Points -festivaali tuo Suomeen kaksitoista nousevaa jazzartistia kahdestatoista eri Euroopan maasta. Festivaalin yhteydessä järjestetään myös 12 Points Jazz Futures -konferenssi, joka tuo Tampereelle jazzmusiikin ammattilaisia eri puolilta Euroopasta. Festivaali ja konferenssi järjestetään Tampereella 25.-28.9. G Livelab Tampereella sekä Tampereen kaupungin pääkirjasto Metsossa. Tapahtumien järjestäjinä toimivat Irlantilainen musiikkipromoottoriyhtiö Improvised Music Company sekä musiikkiklubi G Livelab Tampere.

Tapahtuman juontajana G Livelabissa toimii trumpetistisuuruus Verneri Pohjola, jonka oma kansainvälinen ura sai myös aikoinaan nostetta 12 Pointsissa Ilmiliekki-yhtyeen riveissä vuonna 2007.

G Livelabin torstain, perjantain ja lauantain festivaali-illat päättyvät myöhäisillan maksuttomiin jameihin, joissa on aiempina vuosina syntynyt monia uusia musiikillisia ystävyyksiä ja jopa uusia kokoonpanoja jazzkentälle.

Festivaalin yhteydessä Tampereen pääkirjasto Metsossa järjestetään Jazz Futures -konferenssi yhteistyössä Better Live -EU-hankkeen ja Tampereen kaupunginkirjaston kanssa. Maksuttoman konferenssin keskusteluissa pureudutaan jazzin nykytilaan ja ennen kaikkea sen tulevaisuuteen. Tänä vuonna keskusteluissa painotetaan jazzin tulevaisuutta suhteessa ympäristökysymyksiin, vastuullisuuteen ja saavutettavuuteen. Konferenssin tarkemmat sisällöt päivitetään myöhemmin.

Dublinista lähtöisin oleva 12 Points järjestetään joka toinen vuosi Irlannin ulkopuolella Euroopassa. Festivaalin aiempia isäntäkaupunkeja ovat olleet mm. Stavanger, Porto, Amsterdam ja Uumaja.

“Olemme ylpeitä tästä yhteistyöstä 12 Pointsin kanssa. Olemassaolonsa aikana festivaali on toiminut lukuisille nuorille jazztähdille tärkeänä ponnahduslautana kansainväliselle uralle. On lisäksi hienoa saada eurooppalaisia delegaatteja ja yhteistyökumppaneita Tampereelle”, kertoo G Livelab Tampereen toimitusjohtaja Annamaija Saarela.

12 Points -festivaaleilla esiintyvien artistien joukosta valitaan myös arvostetun Europe Jazz Networkin Zenith-palkinnon saaja. Zenith-palkinnon voittajan valitsee Europe Jazz Networkin jäsenistöstä koottu ammattilaisten raati.

Tampereen 12 Points -festivaali saa tukea Tampereen kaupungilta, Taiteen edistämiskeskukselta sekä Jenny ja Antti Wihurin rahastolta. Tapahtuman yhteistyössä on mukana Operaatio Pirkanmaa.

Mikäli tapahtumat eivät ole loppuunmyytyjä, keikoille myydään opiskelijalippuja ovelta ennen konserttien alkua hintaan 7 € / kpl. Opiskelijalippuihin vaaditaan opiskelijakortti tai muu opiskelutodistus. Konsertit ovat ikärajattomia. Kouluikäiselle alle 18-vuotiaalle lapselle voi hankkia myös opiskelijalipun ovelta, mikäli kyseinen konsertti ei ole ennakkoon loppuunmyyty. Alle kouluikäiset pääsevät keikoille maksutta.