22-25 April 2026
A glowing red tent sits on snowy ground beneath vibrant green and pink northern lights, with snow-covered mountains and a forest in the background under a starry night sky.

Partner Country

Sweden (2026)

In 2026, there will be an anniversary edition celebrating 20 years of jazzahead! and the partner country Sweden.
Trade fair
Festival
Selection
Timeline

jazzahead! Is Looking Forward to the Partner Country Sweden in 2026

Every year in April, the jazzahead! Festival takes place in parallel to the jazzahead! Trade Fair in Bremen. Together with numerous cooperation partners, we organize a city-wide music program around the world’s largest meeting place for the jazz scene. In addition to the showcase festival, the program includes the Grand Opening, the Jazzport, the CLUBNIGHT and a fringe program.

 

In 2026 there will be our anniversary edition celebrating 20 years of jazzahead! as well as the partner country Sweden. From April 23 to April 25 we can observe the jazz szene of this strong music country. Sweden was selected as partner country in order to promote artistic exchange between Sweden and Germany in connection with the important topic of green touring.

Partners

Logo of the Swedish Arts Council with the words SWEDISH ARTS COUNCIL in black, all capital letters on a white background. The word ARTS is bolded.
Logo for Göteborg Artist Center with the abbreviation GAC in bold yellow text, featuring a stylized A, and Göteborg Artist Center written underneath in smaller yellow letters on a white background.
The image shows the text Musikcentrum Sweden on a white background. Musikcentrum is in black, and Sweden is in olive green.
Black circle with the words Svensk Jazz in white stylized text, centered on a plain white background.
A black geometric triangular logo appears above the text EXPORT MUSIC SWEDEN in bold, uppercase letters on a white background.
The image shows the word STIM in bold, black capital letters on a white background.

Partner Country at the Trade Fair

The partner country and its jazz scene will be presented at the fair, for example during the following opportunities.

Stand and Lounge

The combined space of the partner country stands with the lounge which is adjacent to it are the most central presentation areas at the trade fair.

Showcases

At jazzahead! there will also be 38 showcase concerts, from which 8 are dedicated to the partner country.

Conferences

Industry- and country-specific topics can be presented and discussed here. In the past, the programme ranged from book presentations, panels and talks to target-group-specific workshops.

Opening

For the Grand Opening of jazzahead! trade fair, national and international guests are expected. On stage, official representatives of the partner country (e.g. ambassadors, ministers, state secretaries) will open the trade fair and festival together with the jazzahead! and representatives of Bremen.

Partner Country at the Festival

The partner country Sweden is the focus of jazzahead! 2025, whether in the Grand Opening, in the context of the showcases in hall 7 and the adjacent Kulturzentrum Schlachthof, or in the CLUBNIGHT in Bremen’s city center.

Selection

Since 2011 jazzahead! presents an annually changing partner country in the scope of the fair, but also within a city-wide cultural program aimed at the public in Bremen & region. The partner country is chosen and invited by jazzahead! The highest criterion is an exciting, in part still undiscovered jazz scene, which deserves greater international recognition.

 

jazzahead! selects its partner countries, applications are not possible. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to project manager Sybille Kornitschky.

Contact Person

Sybille Kornitschky

Sybille Kornitschky

Head of Trade Fair & Festival
M3B GmbH
kornitschky@jazzahead.de

Timeline of Previous Partner Countries

2025

Spain, France, Switzerland

2025
2024

Netherlands

2024
2023

Germany

2023
2022

Canada

2022
2019

Norway

2019
2018

Poland

2018
2017

Finnland

2017
2016

Switzerland

2016
2015

France

2015
2014

Denmark

2014
2013

Israel

2013
2012

Spain

2012
2011

Turkey

2011
White logo for Messe Bremen on a light gray background, featuring a circular emblem with three upward lines on the left and MESSE BREMEN in bold capital letters on the right. White logo with a circular emblem and three upward lines on the left, next to the text “CONGRESS BREMEN” in bold, capital letters on a light gray background. White logo of ÖVB Arena featuring a stylized circular icon, the text “ÖVB ARENA,” and a small shield with a key symbol, all on a light gray background. Logo with a decorative crest above the words BREMER RATSKELLER and the phrase Weinhandel seit 1405 below, on a light gray background. White logo with a stylized G in a circle on the left, next to the text Grossmarkt Bremen and below it, das frische centrum on a light gray background. White text on a light gray background reads M3B in a bold, modern font. The characters are evenly spaced and centered against the plain backdrop.