JAZZIAM is an international jazz meeting with accompanying showcase and panel discussion.l, where players in jazz and improvisational music from all over the world gather to create contacts and exchange experiences. Sara Aldén participated from us at Musikcentrum Väst in the event between March 12 and 15, 2025 to support our Swedish musicians and promote international collaborations on behalf of Musikcentrum. An MCV member – Sisters of Invention, who was selected for the showcase during the Swedish focus on Thursday, was present.

JAZZIAM began with an official inauguration of JAZZIAM, followed by showcases where Catalan and Spanish musicians had the opportunity to present their music to international bookers and organizers, including a whole group of Swedish bookers and organizers who were on site with the organizer network Knutpunkt.

Thursday, March 13

The morning began with more showcases by Spanish musicians. During the afternoon, the Swedish showcase was in focus, where two Swedish acts performed their contributions: Sisters of Invention (members of Musikcantrum Väst) and Hannes Bennich (member of Music Center South)

These acts received a very warm and nice reception from both the audience and the bookers present. Sara Aldén, together with Musikcentrums Riks international coordinator Ragnar Berthling, was on site to support the Swedish musicians and convey their music and PR material to international bookers and organizers.

The Swedish focus was initiated by Knutpunkt and through this initiative two Swedish showcase performances were made possible and a platform was created for Swedish players to be visible on the international jazz scene. It also gave our Swedish organizers the opportunity to see which Spanish music acts they might want to have on their stages through a project called Green Pilot Tour – a project that aims to create environmentally friendly tour loops around Europe, something we are of course curious about and want to be inspired by and pass on to our members.

Friday March 14

The showcase program continued with more exciting music acts during the day and in the afternoon a “Meet the Pro” event was also held where Knutpunkt had the opportunity to present its bookers, including Jazz in Malmö, Älmhult Music and Arts and Jazz in Helsingborg. In addition, the participants were able to hear the record labels’ thoughts on what they look for when booking and signing artists. The day ended with more showcases, which contributed to further networking opportunities and new contacts for Swedish musicians and promoters.

Summary and reflection from Sara

JAZZIAM 2025 was a very successful and rewarding experience. The Swedish presence was strong, and through concerted efforts, Swedish musicians were able to gain international exposure and the opportunity to make valuable contacts. Sisters of Invention and Hannes Bennich gave truly fantastic performances that were appreciated by both the audience and industry professionals, and the support from the Swedes on site was strong and warm.

Attending helped strengthen the opportunities and visibility of the Swedish acts. Together with Ragnar Berthling, I served as an important link between the musicians and the international players, creating long-term opportunities for Swedish jazz on the global stage.

The event was an inspiring experience, filled with fantastic music, valuable meetings and new collaborations.

The second image is photographed by Josefin Stacey.

/Sara Aldén, MCV

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Under People & Culture On February 6th, I, Sara Aldén, was there to network and exchange experiences with colleagues in the Swedish music and culture industry. As usual, the fair invited practical conversations and discussions where both challenges and opportunities were addressed in a – what I experienced as – direct and honest way.

My day began with a conversation with the theme "Space for popular music within public structures" held by the Västra Götaland Region Cultural Administration. There, Maja-Karin Fredriksson and Jonathan Björk from the VGR Cultural Administration invited thoughts on how we can create space for popular music within the existing institutional framework together with the participants Henryk Lipp - producer, Linnea Ljungblad - producer, Gustav Nyqvist - VG Live. Many reflections touched on the heavy questions of sustainability and financing, but the moderators constantly created space for space to highlight future possibilities and practical solutions.

Then followed an inspiring panel discussion arranged by the Musicians' Association, where chairwoman Karin Inde, together with, among others, the artist and multi-artist Aurelia Dey (also MCV board member), discussed the thought-provoking question:

“Why should we push for diversity?”
This conversation opened up personal stories and insights that clearly showed that diversity is not just about statistics, but about truly making room for different voices and perspectives – in all spaces. It was an important reminder that artistic freedom and representativeness must always go hand in hand. We also got to take part in parts of an extensive quantitative survey presented by Musiksverige, which mapped the experiences of inclusion throughout the Swedish music industry. This study, which is part of an ongoing work, highlights which perspectives are given space and which are at risk of being ignored. The presentation was followed by a lively debate where participants, including Karin Inde, Johnny Tennander, CEO of Sony Music Publishing Scandinavia AB, Aurelia Dey, artist and multi-artist Member of SAMI, Martin Jonsson Tibblin, new head of STIM's music promotion activities and Ceylan Holago, head of operations for CMDS (Creative Minds – Diversity Strategies) together with moderator Elisabet Widlund Fornelius, discussed the survey's insights and highlighted concrete measures for the future.

Another highlight was the interactive roundtable discussion with the theme “Higher music education – what next?”. The Music Alliance gathered committed voices and among the participants were Martin Sjöstedt, the rector of the Royal Academy of Music Per-Henrik Holgersson, the newly graduated musical artist Frida Linnell, the director of Regional Music in Sweden Max Låke and the singer and songwriter Kristin Amparo. Moderator Osiel Ibáñez led the discussion with a warm and inclusive tone, which made the discussion, even when critical, feel both genuine and hopeful. A question that created debate was:

"Are there too many music academies in Sweden? Shouldn't we close some of them down?"

– quote from a person from the audience who joined the open round table discussion at one point.

With this question on the table, it became clear that many shared the vision of a future where music education truly shapes the industry of tomorrow.

In addition to the busy schedule, my time was spent at the Musicians' Association's booth. as the Centre formations did not have a joint stand this year at Folk & Kultur, which was due to cutbacks. In previous years, I have found it both rewarding and valuable to be able to meet and exchange experiences with other centre formations on site. The physical presence has been crucial for creating concrete conversations and common paths forward, something that cannot be replaced by emails and short phone calls. As a counterpoint to this, there was a new network on site at the Musicians' Association's stand: NORM - Network of Organisations for a Fair Music Industry. They were on site with their launch of this initiative from the Musicians' Association's Women's Committee. It was inspiring in these culturally gray times to see how many like-minded and passionate actors were ready to share their experiences and organize together and work to build an industry that is both fair and inclusive - for everyone.

Another discussion The one that really stuck with me was the one organized by Nätverkstan with the theme “How do we protect public discourse in a time of hate and threats?” Here, cultural figures such as Ann Ighe, Jennie Dielemans, Karin Pettersson and Daniel Poohl contributed with genuine and honest reflections on the importance of maintaining an open dialogue, despite the tough challenges we face. Despite a serious atmosphere, it felt like the desire to find new ways forward permeated the entire discussion.

In summary The day at Folk & Kultur was filled with valuable insights and genuine and warm meetings with people who are passionate about culture in Sweden today. Of course, many conversations touched on heavy topics such as sustainability and financing, and there were moments of heavy thoughts, but beneath the surface there was always a strong desire to highlight diversity, artistry and inclusion.

It shone through.

/Sara Aldén, project manager and communicator MCV

INTERNATIONALIZE & IMPROVISE – A full day of music and creativity

Internationalize and Improvise was a full day filled with inspiring lectures, workshops and live music that was held here at MCV's office and in the Musikens Hus concert venue on November 20. With a focus on music export and improvisation, the day brought together MCV musicians to explore new possibilities, sounds and ways forward to create collaborations across borders.

Lectures and workshops

Music export with Ragnar Berthling
The morning started with a lecture by Ragnar Berthling at 10-12, where the focus was on the opportunities and challenges of music export. Questions that were raised were “How do you build networks? Which markets are the right ones to bet on?” Berthling shared practical advice and experiences that gave the participants an insight into how Swedish musicians can position themselves on the international stage.

Improvisation with Lisa Ullén
After lunch, Lisa Ullén, one of Sweden's most prominent improvisational musicians, took over. Through an interactive workshop, the participants had the opportunity to test the limits of their musical expression and develop their ability to improvise. The atmosphere was relaxed and creative - and Lisa created a warm and open place for innovation and experimentation.

Live music at BRÖTZ

The evening ended with a concert at BRÖTZ, where musicians from different backgrounds and genres shared the stage. It was a nice rounding off of a full day where music's paths forward were at the center.

About the project I AM ABROAD

This full day is part of the project I AM ABROAD, an initiative run by Taller de Músics and funded by the European Union through the LIVEMX program. The project aims to strengthen cooperation between music organizations and musicians in Europe. Among the partners are actors such as Catalan Arts Music Export, Austrian Music Export, Knutpunkt and Göteborg Artist Center.

I AM ABROAD works to highlight new opportunities in the music industry and create platforms to meet, exchange ideas and develop.

Final thoughts

Internationalize and Improvise became a reminder of the power of music to unite people and open doors to new possibilities. With the combination of knowledge, creativity and collaboration, the participants and leaders took away valuable tools for the future. Many thanks to everyone who helped make this day possible! 🌟