The International Ankara Jazz Festival and Bodrum Jazz Festival have been accepted as members of the World Jazz Network (WJN) during the organization’s conference held in Palermo, Italy, the Jazz Association announced.
Organized by the Jazz Association with the support of the Culture and Tourism Ministry, the two festivals secured membership following the World Jazz Network Conference, which took place on July 8-10 as part of the Sicily Jazz Festival.
Jazz Association President and curator of both festivals Özlem Oktar Varoğlu represented Türkiye at the conference, where festival directors, producers and industry professionals from countries including the United Kingdom, South Africa, India, the Netherlands, Taiwan, Thailand, Poland and Hungary gathered to discuss the future of jazz festivals and opportunities for international cooperation.
Varoğlu introduced Türkiye’s jazz festivals and the activities of the Jazz Association through a presentation and also participated as a speaker in several panel sessions.
At the conclusion of the conference, the International Ankara Jazz Festival and Bodrum Jazz Festival were officially admitted to the World Jazz Network.
Describing the membership as an important international achievement for Türkiye’s jazz culture, Varoğlu said the association aims to strengthen partnerships with global festival networks, develop joint projects and increase the international visibility of Türkiye’s jazz scene.
She also noted that efforts are underway to bring a future edition of the World Jazz Network Conference to Türkiye.
The conference featured discussions on the role of jazz festivals in cultural tourism
and local economies, sustainable festival models under the theme “Green Future” and strategies for engaging new generations of audiences through international collaboration.
