about
SaskJazz
Our Story
Summer in Saskatoon starts with SaskJazz as the annual Festival plays host to world class artists from all over.
Thousands of music fans devour the sounds of jazz, blues, funk, pop, and world music each year, with a program that spans as many genres as it does continents.
Our History
The first festival took place in Saskatoon during the summer of 1987. Today it has become the second largest festival of its kind in Western Canada. Since 2009, we’ve been named Best Festival in Planet S Magazine’s Best of Saskatoon reader’s poll. In 2023 and 2024, SaskJazz also won the Venue/Festival of the Year at the Saskatchewan Music Awards.
Our Mission and Values
To foster, promote and present jazz music in its diverse forms to the people of Saskatchewan.
To provide opportunities for the professional development of Saskatchewan musicians and a variety of educational experiences for the people of Saskatchewan.
To create enjoyable opportunities of involvement with jazz to the people of Saskatchewan with an internationally recognized festival that is revered for its high quality performances, sense of community ownership and deep cultural impact.
Who Runs SaskJazz?
The Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, Inc. was incorporated in 1992 and is owned by The Saskatoon Jazz Society (SJS). The SJS is the sole member of the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival and as such oversees the Festival at arm’s length to ensure that it continues to offer jazz quality programming while maintaining a prudent and competitive business model. The Festival is a nonprofit organization and registered charity.
The Saskatchewan Jazz Festival is governed by a board of directors and employs a permanent staff of two. Over 400+ volunteers are recruited each year for the festival.
Land Acknowledgement
The Saskatchewan Jazz Festival takes place on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis. We pay our respect to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another.