UK Jazz News

Grassroots Jazz – Registered Charity/website launched

£13,000 raised (with update 24 June)

The momentum behind Nigel Price’s campaign to bring support to grassroots jazz promoters has been picking up momentum in a matter of just a few weeks:

  • Grassroots Jazz is now a registered charity
  • It has raised over £13,000 through the platform Gofundme
  • It has a new website Grassroootsjazz.com

UPDATE 24 June

Grassroots Jazz has just announced the first SEVEN clubs it has already helped with a donation:

Swansea Jazz Club

SoundCellar, Poole

Jazz at Merchants Hall, Glasgow 

St Ives Jazz Club

Bennigan’s Bar, Derry

Scarborough Jazz Club

Spike’s Place, Brentwood

Here is the text on the website’s homepage explaining the specific need and how it is being addressed:

“There is a crisis in the UK grassroots jazz infrastructure. Virtually none of the government’s well publicised and well meaning £1.57 Billion Culture Recovery Fund managed to trickle down to the clubs that make up some 95% of the entire jazz scene. Clubs and even entire festivals are beginning to close as a direct result of this. THIS MUST STOP.

In February 2022 Nigel Price, one of the UK’s foremost jazz guitarists, wrote to the Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries with the backing of 68 other Parliamentary Jazz Award recipients, including Dame Cleo Laine, to plead for more funding in a bid to avert disaster in this vital part of our culture. It fell on deaf ears. You can read that exchange HERE

​Sure, it’s possible to apply for a grant but the current Arts Council grant system is nightmarish, unwieldy and sees the applications from amateur promoters’ pitted against those of professional bid writers. Failure is almost guaranteed. It’s an impossible situation and it is costing us our heritage.

​We can cut through the red tape. WE CAN FIX THIS!

All monies raised here will be distributed DIRECT to those grassroots promoters to enable them to do what they do best.

Too much lottery funding is hoovered up by salaries and operating costs but this way we can go DIRECT TO THE SOURCE.

We see it as our duty to leave a functioning scene for the next generation and will do everything we can to see that this happens, but we need YOUR help.

​Are you with us?” (text ends)

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3 responses

    1. Hi Ivor,
      We certainly could! And it would be much appreciated. You can either use the link on the website or go straight there using this link: https://gofund.me/6afd7442
      Within the next day I will be also adding provision for direct donations on the website which can utilise gift aid, meaning 25% is added to each donation.
      Thanks so much.
      Nige

    2. Hi Ivor,
      Absolutely! You can either use the link on the website or use this direct link.
      https://gofund.me/6afd7442
      I’m also literally just about to add a direct donations link on the website which will allow gift aid (as we’re a registered charity).
      Thanks so much.
      Nige

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