Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival

What Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival does

Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival (Bristol Jazz Festival, legal name: Bristol Jazz Festival) is a registered charity in England & Wales (no. 1149781) that produces live jazz and blues programming for audiences in South West England. Founded in 2013 by a small group of musicians and creatives, the organisation relocated its principal venue to Tobacco Factory Theatres in South Bristol in March 2024, where it operates the year-round "Jazz in the Loft" concert series alongside workshops, masterclasses, and fundraising events. In 2025 the festival announced a fallow year — its full annual festival has been paused due to a shortfall in core funding, with smaller fundraising events and a membership/donation push underway to support a planned return in 2026.

The product surface is event-led rather than technology-led. Core offerings are ticket-based live performances (£18–£22 per concert, £12–£20 per masterclass), a tiered "Jazz Insider" subscription membership (Free, Tenor at £4/month, Soprano at £20/month or £200/year) that provides early-bird ticket access, exclusive merchandise, and competitions, gift memberships (£40 Tenor / £200 Soprano), and merchandise such as branded T-shirts, art prints, vinyl, and posters. Corporate sponsorship is a distinct revenue stream addressed via a dedicated sponsorship page.

The technology stack is intentionally minimal and entirely third-party: a Squarespace-hosted website, the hdfst.uk ticketing platform, email newsletter sign-up, and Instagram/Facebook social media channels for community engagement. The organisation runs with a small team of roughly five employees plus a wider trustee and volunteer base, and is operationally led by Festival Director Katya Gorrie (in role since 2024) with Nigel Evans as Chair of Trustees. Revenue is diversified across ticket sales, recurring memberships, donations (including Gift Aid-eligible UK taxpayer contributions), merchandise, and corporate sponsorship.

Name

Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival

Legal name

Bristol Jazz Festival

Website

https://bristoljazzandbluesfest.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bristol Jazz Festival is a registered UK charity (no. 1149781) producing live jazz and blues concerts, workshops, and masterclasses in Bristol. It funds operations through ticket sales, tiered Jazz Insider memberships, donations, merchandise, and corporate sponsorship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Festivals

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Festival Organizers & Promoters (MPAGAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Festival & Event Producers/Organizers (MPAIAFAC), Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG)

Keywords

• Live jazz festivals
• Music festival events
• Arts charity programming
• Concert ticketing services
• Membership concert clubs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling tickets to live events including concerts, workshops, and masterclasses at venues like the Tobacco Factory and The Mount Without. Individual event tickets range from £18-£22 for concerts.
2. Membership Subscriptions (Jazz Insider): Recurring membership program with monthly (£4) and annual options providing early-bird access, discounts, exclusive merchandise, and members-only competitions. Gift memberships available at £40 (Tenor) and £200 (Soprano).
3. Donations: Charitable donations from supporters, including Gift Aid contributions from UK taxpayers (25% additional value). One-off and monthly contribution options available.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts, art prints, vinyl records, and posters through the online store.
5. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship opportunities offered to businesses seeking to support the festival and reach the jazz community in Bristol.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bristol Jazz Festival is a registered charity that organizes and presents live jazz festivals and year-round concert programming in Bristol, UK. It sells tickets to concerts, workshops, and masterclasses held at venues such as Tobacco Factory Theatres and The Mount Without, and operates the tiered Jazz Insider membership subscription program (Tenor at £4/month and Soprano at £20/month or £200/year) offering early-bird tickets, exclusive merchandise, members-only competitions, and recognition. The festival also distributes branded merchandise (e.g., the BJF '24 T-shirt at £25), gift memberships, and relies on charitable donations and corporate sponsorship to fund programming.

Product overview

Bristol Jazz Festival operates primarily as an event and membership-based organization rather than a traditional product company. Its core offerings include two tiers of Jazz Insider membership subscriptions (Tenor at £4/month and Soprano at £20/month) providing early-bird ticket access, exclusive merchandise, and competitions. The festival also sells gift cards for membership, merchandise items like the BJF '24 T-Shirt, and hosts ongoing concert events including the Jazz in the Loft series at the Tobacco Factory. Following a fallow year in 2025 due to funding challenges, the festival is focused on fundraising events and membership drives to support its 2026 return.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jazz Insider: Membership program offering early bird tickets, exclusive merchandise, and members-only competitions and giveaways.

Products and services

• Jazz Insider Tenor Membership Monthly subscription membership priced at £4/month offering early-bird ticket access (1 week before general release), discounted and exclusive members-only merchandise, and entry into competitions for tickets, merch and more. Aimed at individual jazz music fans supporting the Bristol Jazz Festival.
• Jazz Insider Soprano Membership Premium subscription membership priced at £20/month (or £200 annual) including all Tenor rewards plus discounted event tickets, a complimentary concert ticket for Bristol Jazz Festival 2026, and supporter name and thanks listed on the festival website and programme.
• Gift One-Year Jazz Festival Membership Redeemable gift memberships available at £40 (Tenor tier) and £200 (Soprano tier), granting the recipient a one-year Jazz Insider membership to Bristol Jazz Festival.
• BJF '24 Con McHugh T-Shirt Official 2024 festival T-shirt featuring artwork by resident artist Con McHugh, priced at £25.00 in sizes S to XL, sold through the Bristol Jazz Festival online store to fans and supporters.
• Jazz in the Loft Concert Series Ongoing series of intimate jazz concerts hosted by Bristol Jazz Festival at The Loft @ Tobacco Factory Theatre, featuring world-class and emerging jazz artists (e.g., Dennis Rollins, Joe Webb Trio, Liane Carroll, Nigel Price Organ Trio) in an unfiltered, close-up performance setting for jazz enthusiasts.
• Bristol Jazz Festival Live Concerts, Workshops and Masterclasses Ticketed live performances including individual concerts (e.g., £22 standard / £18 concession), workshops, and masterclasses (e.g., £20 standard / £12 concession) staged at Bristol venues such as Tobacco Factory and The Mount Without, with step-free accessibility options, for jazz audiences.
• Festival Fundraiser Events Special fundraising events such as the One-Night-Only Festival Fundraiser featuring multiple acts across two stages, staged during the 2025 fallow year to raise vital funds to support Bristol Jazz Festival's planned return in 2026.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Bristol Jazz WorkshopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for presenting jazz events. The Joe Webb Trio performance is presented by Bristol Jazz Festival in partnership with Bristol Jazz Workshop, combining programming expertise to deliver dynamic improvisation and world-class musicianship to Bristol audiences.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Love Supreme Jazz Festival: UK jazz, soul, and funk festival held annually in the South East of England. Directly comparable as a UK-based dedicated jazz festival with multi-day programming, premium ticketing, and similar artist-profile (international jazz headliners).
• Band on the Wall: Manchester-based not-for-profit jazz and roots music venue with year-round ticketed programming. Comparable as a UK charitable music organization presenting jazz artists in an intimate venue setting, with similar community-engagement orientation.
• Cheltenham Jazz Festival: Annual UK jazz festival operated by Cheltenham Festivals, with multi-day programming across multiple stages in Cheltenham. Directly comparable to Bristol Jazz Festival in format (multi-day, multi-venue), genre focus (jazz), and audience (UK regional jazz enthusiasts), though at materially larger scale.
• Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival: UK regional jazz, funk, and soul festival held in the Midlands. Directly comparable as a smaller-scale, genre-focused UK festival with ticketed weekend programming and a similar community-orientation.
• Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club: Iconic London-based jazz venue and promoter running year-round ticketed concerts and festival programming. Comparable as a jazz-specific live entertainment operator with ticketed events, artist programming, and a dedicated member/supporter community, though with permanent venue infrastructure.
• Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival: Scotland's leading jazz and blues festival, combining ticketed concerts with free community programming. Directly comparable genre, format, and community-engagement orientation, though with a larger organizational footprint.

Broad incumbents

• London Jazz Festival: The UK's largest jazz festival, presented by the Barbican across multiple London venues. Comparable genre and ticketed-festival model but operates at much larger scale with broader sponsorship, institutional backing, and a wider geographic audience reach.
• Sage Gateshead: Major North East England music venue hosting year-round jazz and contemporary music programming, including the Gateshead International Jazz Festival. Comparable as a venue-based jazz promoter with educational programming, but at materially larger scale and broader music remit.
• Pizza Express Live: Chain of UK jazz-focused restaurant-venues running year-round ticketed jazz programming. Comparable as a venue-based live jazz promoter with similar intimate-concert format, though commercially structured rather than charity-based.

Others

• Jazz FM: UK national radio station dedicated to jazz, blues, and soul, frequently acting as media partner and sponsor for UK jazz festivals including Bristol Jazz Festival events. Adjacent rather than directly competitive — supports the same audience ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BristolJazzFest
• Instagraminstagram.com/bristoljazzfest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bristol-international-jazz-and-blues-festival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival