SHOWCASES
Apply for the 2027 Showcases: 25 Aug–30 Sep 2026
The jazzahead! Showcases are 30- to 45-minute concerts presenting 38 selected bands and artists to both international jazz professionals and the general public.
Over three days and nights, audiences can experience current jazz from Germany, Europe, Overseas/Asia Pacific and the Baltic States, the Partner Region 2027, on the stages of Hall 7 and Kulturzentrum Schlachthof.
Application
Applications for the jazzahead! 2027 Showcases are open from 25 August to 30 September 2026. The selected bands and artists will be announced in November 2026.
The showcase acts are selected by international expert juries, with one jury for each showcase module. More information about the selection process and criteria can be found below.
If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Insa Stanke.
Contact Person
Insa Stanke
How to Apply?
1. Register for jazzahead!
To submit a showcase application, the band or artist must be represented by a registered exhibitor or professional participant with an all-days pass for jazzahead! 2027.
Bands and artists can also register themselves as exhibitors or professional participants and submit their own application. Alternatively, an authorised representative can apply on their behalf.
2. Read and accept Preconditions
Please download and read the Preconditions for the jazzahead! Showcase Festival 2027 before submitting your application.
A step-by-step guide to the application is available below, so you can see in advance which information and files you will need.
3. Choose your showcase module and apply
Check which showcase module your band or project is eligible for before starting your application.
Once registered, log in to the Participant Portal, go to Submissions, select the relevant showcase module and follow the application link.
Showcase Modules
Each registered exhibiting company, institution, association or professional participant may submit one artist or band for each showcase module – up to four submissions in total. The same artist or band may only be submitted to one showcase module.
Overseas/Asia Pacific Showcases
For this showcase module, the majority of the band members must be based outside Europe.
From 2027 onwards, the Overseas Showcases will feature an additional regional focus for three years: the Asia Pacific region, as highlighted on the map, with particular visibility for artists and bands from this part of the world.
European Showcases
For this showcase module, the majority of the band members must be based in Europe, excluding Germany, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Baltic Showcases
For this showcase module, the majority of the band members must be based in Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania – the Partner Region of jazzahead! 2027.
Please note the exception for Estonia: Estonian bands may be based in any other country and still apply for this showcase module, provided that the band leader has Estonian nationality.
German Jazz Expo Showcases
For this showcase module, the majority of the band members must be based in Germany.
Please note: If there is no majority based on the band members’ residences, these bands are free to choose the module they wish to apply for.
Selection Process
The jazzahead! showcase acts are selected by international expert juries. Each showcase module has its own jury of at least seven members, including festival and programme directors from the international jazz scene.
The Selection Process
The selection takes place in three stages:
- Individual review: Jury members listen to all eligible applications and submit their first online vote.
- Shortlist: The highest-rated bands and artists move on to a shortlist and are evaluated according to additional criteria.
- Final selection: The jury meets online to discuss the shortlisted acts and decide on the final showcase programme.
Criteria for the first selection stage
The key criteria are musical quality and the ability to perform at an international professional level. Age, gender and origin are not considered at this stage.
Additional criteria are applied to the shortlisted acts in the second selection stage.
Criteria for the second selection stage
For shortlisted acts, the jury also considers:
- Instrumentation
- country or region of origin
- gender balance
- the likelihood that the act will perform with the line-up stated in the application
- the overall stylistic diversity of the final showcase programme
Country or region of origin does not apply as a criterion for the German Jazz Expo or the Partner Region showcases.
Jury
The jury teams for the 2027 Showcases will be published here together with the selected acts in November 2026.
Showcase Videos – Summer Nights with jazzahead!
Missed the 2026 showcase concerts or want to experience them again? From 18 June to 10 September, we release three showcase videos every Thursday at 7 pm on our YouTube channel.
The audio recordings were produced by Radio Bremen. Enjoy the summer with jazzahead!
