Jazz festival fights on despite core funding loss

Despite having had its funding axed by Queensland’s now-ousted Newman Government, the festival is fighting on.

South Korea’s Near East Quartet; image supplied.

The Brisbane International Jazz Festival is in a precarious position. Arts Queensland cut its funding under the previous state government; nor was the festival successful in applying for Australia Council funding in the most recent round.

Nonetheless, Artistic Director Lynette Irwin remains optimistic and unbowed.

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Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in 2020. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association. Most recently, Richard received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts