How You Can Participate

Participating in International Jazz Day is easy: there are no membership fees, no application and no prerequisites for joining the International Jazz Day family.

The only requirement is that you be passionate about celebrating jazz and its positive values, and ready to bring that enthusiasm to your community through independently organized events of any size!

Here’s a simple checklist that will put you on your way to becoming an official International Jazz Day partner:

1. Plan your April 30 event (check out a useful list of example events below!)
2. Register your planned program by filling out and submitting the form on jazzday.com/register
3. Download our free branding resources to visually link your promotional materials to International Jazz Day
4. Follow International Jazz Day on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and subscribe to our mailing list to stay up-to-date on the latest International Jazz Day news
5. Engage with us on social media by sharing the excitement about your event and using the official International Jazz Day hashtag, #JazzDay

Artists, universities, jazz festivals, venues, libraries, primary and secondary schools, radio and television stations, streamers, journalists, academics and private citizens can all join the annual celebration of International Jazz Day. The possibilities are endless, but here are just a few examples of ways to participate on April 30:

• Get together with friends to listen to jazz records
• Play jazz recordings for patrons in your place of business
• Post a video or photo tribute on social media
• Make a jazz arts-and-crafts project with your elementary school students
• Organize a jam session or open mic at a local restaurant
• Present an educational workshop featuring a local jazz artist
• Host a concert at a local theater or performing arts center
• Create a jazz-themed fundraiser to support the charity of your choice
• Petition your local city government to issue a proclamation recognizing April 30 as International Jazz Day
• Dedicate the April 30 program of your jazz festival to International Jazz Day
• Curate a radio/television broadcast showcasing music by local artists
• Hold a “jazz crawl” or jazz parade in your town and fill the streets with music!

Questions about how to participate in International Jazz Day? Be sure to have a look at our Frequently Asked Questions page before reaching out to our Outreach Team.

One more thing. As an official International Jazz Day partner, you are invited to share your story and tell us how you fit into our global community. We’re constantly expanding the gallery of community partners on jazzday.com and would love for you to be a part! Simply complete our short interview questionnaire and a member of our team will be in touch.

COVID-19

In the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, we urge our organizers around the world to prioritize health and safety and follow all local public health directives to help arrest the spread of this deadly disease. 

Many partners have scheduled their 2020-2022 International Jazz Day programs for a later date, pending the abatement of the current global pandemic. These postponed events will be gratefully recognized as official celebrations of International Jazz Day.

Logos & Radio Spots

Looking to brand your International Jazz Day event? Download radio spots and the official graphics, available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

2022 Celebration

The 2022 celebration of International Jazz Day featured programs from more than 180 countries culminating in a spectacular All-Star Global Concert streamed live from the United Nations. Visit our videos page to watch incredible performances, video greetings and other expressions of solidarity submitted by our organizers around the world. Watch online educational sessions featuring artists like Terri Lyne Carrington, Arturo O’Farrill, Dan Tepfer, Danny Grissett and Oran Etkin. And don’t forget to rewatch clips from the 2022 Global Concert, hosted by Herbie Hancock at UN Headquarters in New York!

Other Ways to Participate

There are many ways to celebrate International Jazz Day even while social distancing. Here are 10 examples:

1. Like/Follow International Jazz Day on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates on how people are celebrating around the world. Exchange with others about jazz’s impact, share posts and re-tweet material to your friends. Make sure to use #JazzDay in your message!
   
2. Have a virtual lesson with a jazz musician in your area. Can’t find a local musician? Check out online resources like Coursera and YouTube for some great, free videos on key topics like jazz history and improvisation.
   
3. Listen to your favorite jazz record and Tweet your pick at us (@IntlJazzDay). Need ideas? We put together a handy playlist on Spotify featuring tons of great artists and tracks.
   
4. Do some research on the history of jazz music in your country, including any significant musicians, and share one or two facts with your friends on social media.
   
5. Visit our Educational Resources page and check out some of the free activities and content there, including a special Jazz Day edition of the oiid education platform, an arts & crafts project for kids, and lots of cool videos!
   
   
6. Check out a jazz film or documentary online, like Chasing Trane, Quincy or Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool.
   
7. Shoot a 30-second selfie video explaining why jazz (and International Jazz Day) is important to you, and upload to your social media tagged with @IntlJazzDay.
   
8. Create some original jazz-inspired artwork, poetry or fiction!
9. Check out a book on jazz from your local library.
   
10. Pick your favorite jazz standard and use your smartphone to record yourself playing your own rendition in honor of International Jazz Day; post your video to social media and tag us @IntlJazzDay.

Are you a teacher wondering how to engage with student on International Jazz Day? Visit our Educate page for some lesson ideas.

You don’t have to wait until April 30 to enjoy International Jazz Day–create your own celebration of jazz today!