Jazz Winnipeg

What Jazz Winnipeg does

Jazz Winnipeg Inc. is a charitable non-profit organization founded in 1991 and based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Treaty 1 Territory. The organization produces and presents live jazz programming, anchored by three core product lines: the annual TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival (Winnipeg's largest music event, celebrating its 35th year in 2026), the year-round Jazz at the Fort Garry Hotel concert series in the historic Fort Garry Hotel Club Room, and the Canadian Jazz Summit, an educational program operated in collaboration with the University of Manitoba Jazz Studies program. Supplementary offerings include the Bridge Program for emerging artist development, the Jazzahead! international delegation initiative for creative export, an online donation platform (via CanadaHelps), and an email newsletter.

The organization serves three primary constituencies: jazz music enthusiasts in Winnipeg and visitors attending performances; professional and emerging jazz artists seeking performance opportunities, professional development, and international exposure; and the broader Winnipeg community engaging with the free outdoor mainstage at Old Market Square. Free outdoor programming at the TD Mainstage is the largest public-facing event, while ticketed indoor programming (priced around $20 advance / $25 door, with multi-show passport bundles offering 25% off three shows) generates the bulk of earned revenue. The underlying technology stack is minimal: a Squarespace-hosted website, Showpass as the third-party ticketing platform, social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube), and an email newsletter.

Jazz Winnipeg's revenue model is a non-profit mix of four streams: ticket sales (transaction-fee model via Showpass), corporate sponsorships (notably TD Bank as title sponsor, plus Long & McQuade and The Asper Foundation), multi-tier government and foundation grants (Canadian Heritage, Manitoba Arts Council, Winnipeg Arts Council, and the federal Creative Export Canada program), and individual charitable donations. Operationally, the organization is lean — 6 employees — and depends on a broad base of institutional funders, with TD Bank and the federal/provincial arts councils representing the most concentrated support pillars.

Name

Jazz Winnipeg

Legal name

Jazz Winnipeg Inc.

Website

https://jazzwinnipeg.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Jazz Winnipeg is a 1991-founded charitable non-profit in Winnipeg, Manitoba that produces the annual TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival, the year-round Jazz at the Fort Garry Hotel series, and the Canadian Jazz Summit, serving jazz enthusiasts, professional artists, and the local community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Events and Arts Programming

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG), Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD)

Keywords

• Jazz festival programming
• Live concert series
• Music education workshops
• Arts nonprofit organization
• Community cultural events

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from ticket sales for various concert events including the TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival, Jazz at the Fort Garry Hotel series, and Canadian Jazz Summit events. Online sales through Showpass platform with advance and door pricing.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Jazz Winnipeg is a charitable, non-profit organization that relies on donations from supporters to fund programming. They accept donations through CanadaHelps platform and promote donor support on their website.
3. Government and Foundation Grants: Funding from government bodies including Government of Canada (through Creative Export Canada program), Manitoba Music, and support from Canadian Heritage and Manitoba Arts Council.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Major corporate sponsorship revenue, notably from TD Bank (title sponsor of the annual jazz festival) and Long & McQuade (supporting sponsor for Jazz at the Fort Garry Hotel).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Jazz Winnipeg is a charitable non-profit organization that presents live jazz programming in Winnipeg. It produces the annual TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival (Winnipeg's largest music event) across multiple downtown venues, runs a recurring Jazz at the Fort Garry Hotel concert series, delivers the Canadian Jazz Summit educational program with the University of Manitoba, and operates a Jazzahead! international export delegation program. Ticket sales, donations, sponsorships, and grants fund these cultural offerings.

Product overview

Jazz Winnipeg operates as a unified charitable arts organization offering a portfolio of live music experiences and educational programs. The core offerings include the annual TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival (the organization's flagship event and Winnipeg's largest music festival), the recurring Jazz at the Fort Garry Hotel concert series (intimate performances in a historic hotel venue), the Canadian Jazz Summit (an educational partnership with the University of Manitoba), and the Jazzahead! delegation program for international export development. Supplementary services include newsletter subscriptions for show announcements and an online donation platform for supporter contributions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival Winnipeg's largest music event held annually in the historic Exchange District, featuring world-class jazz performances across multiple venues including the Burton Cummings Theatre, Desautels Concert Hall, West End Cultural Centre, and the TD Mainstage at Old Market Square. Attracts tens of thousands of festival-goers each year and combines free outdoor programming with paid ticketed headline shows.
• Jazz at the Fort Garry Hotel A recurring concert series held in The Club Room at the historic Fort Garry Hotel, featuring jazz performances by local, national, and international artists. Shows include advance tickets ($20 + Showpass fees) and door pricing ($25).
• Canadian Jazz Summit An annual jazz education event presented in collaboration with the University of Manitoba Jazz Studies program, featuring masterclasses, workshops, and concert presentations at the Desautels Faculty of Music for students and professional musicians.
• Jazzahead! Delegation Program International creative export development program enabling Manitoba-based artists and industry professionals to participate in jazzahead!, the world-renowned jazz festival and trade show held annually in Bremen, Germany.
• Donation Platform Online donation capability allowing supporters to contribute to Jazz Winnipeg's charitable mission of promoting jazz through concert presentations and community engagement, hosted on the CanadaHelps platform.
• Newsletter Subscription Email newsletter service providing show announcements, playlists, and exclusive content about Jazz Winnipeg events and programming to subscribers.

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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• TD BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTD Bank is the presenting and title sponsor of the annual TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival, providing major financial support that enables the free outdoor programming and festival operations.
• Manitoba MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManitoba Music co-funds the delegation initiative to jazzahead!, supporting Manitoba-based artists and industry professionals in international creative export development.
• Long & McQuademinorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusical equipment retailer providing support for the Jazz at the Fort Garry Hotel concert series.
• The Asper FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupports Izzy Asper Jazz Performances, a program that co-presents special events like the Zachary Rushing Sondheim tribute and New Orleans Manitoba Mardi Gras party.
• Winnipeg Folk FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative co-presentation of The Cat Empire Riebl Tedesco McGill trio show at West End Cultural Centre during the jazz festival.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Toronto Jazz Festival: A Canadian multi-venue urban jazz festival presenting international and local artists in a major market. Directly comparable in programming model (free outdoor mainstage plus ticketed indoor shows) and operational structure (charitable non-profit presenter).
• Ottawa Jazz Festival: A long-running Canadian capital-city jazz festival with comparable scope (multi-venue, free outdoor, ticketed indoor) and a similar reliance on government, sponsor, and ticket revenue mix.
• Beaches International Jazz Festival: A Toronto-area community-rooted jazz festival with a similar emphasis on free outdoor mainstage programming plus ticketed club shows. Comparable mission and audience engagement approach.
• Calgary International Jazz Festival: A Western-Canadian urban jazz festival of similar tier to Winnipeg's, with comparable audience scale, multi-venue programming, and non-profit presenter structure. Most direct head-to-head comparable in the Prairies.
• Vancouver International Jazz Festival: Coastal Jazz & Blues Society produces the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, a multi-venue Canadian jazz festival with a similar mix of free and ticketed programming and charitable non-profit structure. Strong operational parallel.
• Saskatchewan Jazz Festival: A Prairie-based non-profit jazz festival of similar scale, with comparable programming model and audience profile. Highly relevant regional peer.
• Halifax Jazz Festival: Atlantic Canada's leading jazz festival, comparable in scale and non-profit structure, with similar free-plus-ticketed programming and a strong educational/community component.

Others

• Manitoba Music: The provincial music industry association that co-funds Jazz Winnipeg's jazzahead! delegation and supports Manitoba artists. Not a direct competitor but a key strategic partner and ecosystem anchor.

Regional players

• Winnipeg Folk Festival: A Winnipeg-based charitable non-profit music festival operating in a different genre but with the same geographic market, sponsor base, volunteer ecosystem, and operational scale. Strongest local peer.

Broad incumbents

• Festival International de Jazz de Montréal: The largest jazz festival in Canada and a globally recognized brand. Directly comparable in category (jazz festival presenting major ticketed and free programming), but operates at significantly larger scale in a major international market.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jazz-winnipeg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Jazz Winnipeg