Jazz: music that brings people together and is constantly being reinvented

Almost 30 years in support of jazz

Jazz has no boundaries: as a hybrid music, jazz is the most lively and insightful of the improvised musical forms.

Listening up and paying attention to others, opening up to other cultures, trusting the collective while carving out a place for oneself, or embarking on a common journey – these are all values that jazz shares with the BNP Paribas Foundation.

As far back as since 1995, as with dance and circus arts, the Foundation chose to take a bold and modern direction in focusing on creation in the field of music. Since then, it has provided support for jazz musicians, composers and, of course, singers. The Foundation also support several festivals in France and abroad in countries where BNP Paribas is present.

In 2024, the BNP Paribas Foundation is providing support to about 30 jazz artists, groups, festivals and institutions

Why jazz? Because of the values it shares with the Foundation

With its multiple identities and universal language, jazz is an effective vector for expressing singularities and diversity, for open-mindedness, and for collective understanding through musical creation. Jazz is a richly historic genre, but contemporary artists have embraced it, while simultaneously transcending it to create a distinctive style that resonates with their generation. Regardless of their background, age or life experiences, and through their pieces, the artists supported by the Foundation offer a variety of sounds that reflect the diversity of our world.

Artists who question the world

The BNP Paribas Foundation provides support to jazz artists who experiment with and explore new territories, beyond artistic borders.

Varying aesthetic sensitivities, joining written music with improvisation, conversing over periods of time, and navigating between the arts and sciences: we support musicians who are passionate and who are witnesses to their age. Whether through individual or collective experiences, each musician supported brings a new perspective on the world, driven by a desire to question current practices and to suggest new musical forms. 

Tailor-made and long-term patronage

Jazz brings together many different people in the audience, of all generations, in the most diverse venues. To help artists in their creation process, the Foundation offers its partners sustained and tailored support that respects their wishes and their projects in accordance with whatever inspiration strikes them.

Whether it’s recording an album, promoting an artist, helping with the distribution or the structuring of their activity, the Foundation strives, beyond funding, to create a trustful relationship by listening closely to its partners. Helping artists network with contacts useful to their careers, promoting projects, and expanding opportunities to perfom and meet with audiences are a hallmark of this patronage.