Every year, Lutruwita / Tasmania’s biggest and boldest jazz festival brings together top talent from across the island and beyond for four epic days of music, connection, and celebration.
Set on the Eastern Shore of Timtumili Minanya / The Derwent River, on the lands of the Mumirimina people, our much-loved festival fills the city with a vibe that’s both laid back and electric.
Big brass energy one-minute, smoky ballads the next. From local legends to national and international heavyweights, our program honours the traditional and pushes the boundaries of jazz, blending classic swing, deep funk, Afro-jazz, soul, hip-hop, Latin, and more.
You’ll find free gigs, twilight concerts, late-night jams, and the iconic Jazz Lounge sessions, as well as the best food and wine of the Coal River Valley – think small-batch wines, local brews, grazing tables, and dessert vans parked under fairy-light-lit trees.
Grab a glass, roll out a rug, and settle in. Or lean in close to the stage, feel the double bass through your feet, and dance like no one’s watching.
This is jazz made local: picnics, dancing, unexpected collabs, and a program that invites everyone in – seasoned fans, curious newcomers, and the jazz-sceptical alike.
Clarence Jazz Festival doesn’t just book acts – we build legacies. Here are some of our most important programs supporting the artists and ideas that will shape the sound of tomorrow.
Jazz Scholars
Our flagship development program for emerging musicians aged 15–19.
Six months of mentorship, one-on-one tuition, masterclasses, and a spot on the festival mainstage—alongside your heroes. Led by powerhouse vocalist Katy Raucher, and supported by the University of Tasmania and Hobart Jazz Club through the Ian Pearce Memorial Fund.
The scholar program has supported over 50 alumni since 2005 – now leading voices in jazz, here and overseas.
Hothouse Program
Where bold new jazz ideas get their start.
Small startup grants for original works, unexpected collaborations, and projects that speak to this place and its people. Think of it as a creative lab for artists with something to say—and the skills to say it differently.
Recent commissions include:
- Sasha Gavlek Quartet: Artist exchange with Naarm / Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival
- Mulaka Milaythina: Jazz meets truth-telling, led by palawa artist Nunami Sculthorpe-Green and pianist Louise Denson
- Mazzika: Reimagining Arabic film songs with strings, jazz rhythm and soul
- Green Rises: A new big band inspired by Clarence itself
The Jazz Ambassador
/Each year, we invite a leading Australian jazz artist to join us for the entire festival – not just to perform, but to connect. They mentor emerging musicians, lead masterclasses, jam with locals, and bring a concert that’s close to their heart to our stage.
It’s about building bridges between Clarence and the wider jazz world – one gig, one conversation, one collaboration at a time.
Past ambassadors have included legends like Sandy Evans, Kristin Berardi, Kelly Ottaway, Dan Barnett, Michelle Nicolle, Shannon Barnett, Adrian Cunningham and Paul Williamson.
Visual Artist Commission
Every year, one artist helps shape how the festival looks—and how it feels.
Since 2019, we’ve commissioned a local visual artist to create a new body of work that becomes the heartbeat of our festival’s design. Their artwork inspires everything from the stage visuals and posters to our social feeds and the iconic CJF logo.
Clarence Jazz Festival 2026, 19 - 22 February
Mark your calendars!
Jazz All Year ‘Round
CJF Presents keeps the groove going all year – with bold, world-class acts lighting up The Barn at Rosny Farm, one of the most intimate venues in the country. Same spirit as the festival, just more often.
