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The first International Jazz Club Exchange Forum will be held in Yerevan at the AGBU on November 21 at 14:30 under the theme “From Local Scenes to International Networks.”
The forum will bring together international jazz clubs, cultural organizations, international professional networks and diplomatic representatives to discuss opportunities for club exchanges, international artist mobility and the development of long-term partnerships. Participation is open to everyone interested.
The event will introduce JCEP (Jazz Clubs Exchange Platform) in Yerevan, co-founded by Ulikhanyan Jazz Club. The platform enables partner clubs internationally to host each other's musicians, share professional experience and establish sustainable cross-border cooperation. JCEP aims to expand the international connections of Armenia's jazz community, promote Armenian jazz worldwide, and provide access to new touring destinations and international funding opportunities.
Among the international guests are Raluca Baicu, a member of the Board of Directors of Europe Jazz Network and music programmer at Rotterdam's BIRD festival; Benjamin Demelemester, International Project Manager at France's Centre national de la musique (CNM); and Tona Isidron, Programming and Artist Relations Manager at Dubai's Jass Lounge, among others.
The forum's program includes a professional presentation, a panel discussion, live jazz performances and networking opportunities. The Armenian Music Network initiative will present the stages of organizing international artist exchanges, from artists' readiness and practical and financial obstacles to long-term cooperation that begins with a single concert.
The panel discussion, titled “International Cultural Cooperation,” will focus on the transition from exchanges to tours, visa, travel, logistics and funding issues, as well as opportunities for institutional and diplomatic support.
The forum will take place as part of the inaugural JazzJans festival, which will connect the jazz scenes of Yerevan and Tbilisi from November 19 to 29. Georgian musicians will perform in Yerevan on November 19–22, while Armenian musicians will travel to Tbilisi on November 27–29.