Canadian musicians will take centre stage at this year’s jazzahead! festival, conference and trade fair in Bremen, Germany from April 28 to May 1, 2022. Canada’s delegation will represent all facets of our country’s jazz scene—from artists and promoters to programmers and cultural organizations. The event is a chance to show the world what Canadian jazz has to offer, with artists straight out of our country’s network of clubs and festivals as well as from our diaspora in the United States and Europe. 

And this year, jazzahead! is finally back in person after a two-year hiatus! The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 festival, and the 2021 event was entirely digital. But jazzahead! 2022’s hybrid model will enable audiences to take part in person or online. 

As the featured partner country for this year’s jazzahead!, Canada will also present a rich cultural program that includes music, dance performances, exhibitions and film screenings by artists from across the country. Highlights include an opening night concert featuring Halifax-based producer and soul singer, Erin Costelo, as well as gala concert performances by Malika Tirolien and Laila Biali.

Securing a spot as a performer at jazzahead! is no easy feat. The main showcase artists were selected from hundreds of entries by an international jury, while German jazzahead! cultural presenters and organizations choose the other Canadian artists performing throughout the festival.

Discover all the amazing Canadian artists taking part in this year’s festival.

The Canada Council for the Arts is proud to be the main partner at this year’s must-see festival, conference and trade fair. Two trade partner organizations—the Conseil québécois de la musique (CQM) and the Canada Independent Music Association (CIMA)—will coordinate the Québec and Canadian delegations in partnership with the Embassy of Canada in Germany. Many organizations across Canada will take part as exhibitors at the trade show.