Political debate

Tuesday, July 15, Moldejazz, the Norwegian Jazz Forum, and the five regional jazz centres invite you to a political debate on the future of Norway’s regional jazz ensembles – a nationwide structure that, over the past 25 years, has successfully established regional jazz orchestras in Northern, Central, Western, Southern, and Eastern Norway. These ensembles have delivered remarkable musical experiences to audiences and created jobs for musicians across the country.

However, several ensembles still lack basic funding. Many are fully or partially operated through project-based grants and voluntary work – with no financial predictability and far below the standards found in comparable music sectors. Today, three out of seven ensembles receive no support from the Cultural Fund.

What do the politicians think?
How should the state ensure sustainable, professional jazz ensembles throughout the country?

We have invited representatives from the Socialist Left Party (SV), Labour Party (Ap), Liberal Party (V), Conservative Party (H), and Progress Party (FrP) to meet the music sector and the public during Moldejazz.

The debate will be moderated by Veslemøy Østrem, Editor-in-Chief at Altinget, and will kick off with a conversation between music journalist Audun Vinger, musician and composer Sissel Vera Pettersen, and this year’s Buddy Award winner Eirik Hegdal.

📍 Kafé Kurt, Plassen – as part of Moldejazz’s Festival Academy, starting at 1 PM.