About Us

JazzEast Rising is a non-profit organization formed in 1987 to present the first ever Halifax Jazz Festival (formerly known as the Atlantic Jazz Festival) in Nova Scotia, Canada. Over the past 20 years, JazzEast has widened its horizons beyond the successful TD Halifax Jazz Festival to become involved, throughout the year, in a diverse range of musical and educational activities.

JazzEast's mandate runs from the promotion and presentation of soft-seat concerts and bar gigs to planning educational workshops (such as the renowned Creative Music Workshop). We develop opportunities for amateur musicians, established local artists and the local "jazz aristocracy". We bring in world-famous performers from all over to a city which doesn't always find itself naturally on the maps of touring artists.

In brief, we think jazz is important to the culture which we'd like to have, and we want to make sure that kind of culture is strong in Halifax, where we love to live.

Not just an organization, JazzEast is a community. We are over 500 active volunteers, 200 members, 270+ local and regional jazz artists, a team of corporate and government partners and an audience that has surpassed the 65,000 mark. Located above Halifax’s newest home for all things creative – 1313 - at 1313 Hollis Street, just a handful of staff produce year-round concerts and festivals, publish the seasonal magazine, JazzEast Rising and Jazz in Halifax weekly e news and organize open-to-the-public workshops.

Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE
Dr. Christopher Elson, President
Dustin LindenSmith, VP Programming
Olga Manzoni, VP Development
Thomas Curran, Secretary
Wayne Pittman, Treasurer
Eleanor Fitzpatrick, Member-at-Large

DIRECTORS
Dr. Peter Butler
Dr. Martine Durier-Copp
Mark Gosine
Artie Irwin
Andrew Killawee
Jen Laurette
Robert Leek         
Nick Wilkinson
Gillian Wood

Staff

Sarah Watling, Executive Director
Laura 'Lulu' Healy, Artistic Director
Kasia Morrison, Communications & Outreach Manager
Brian Saulnier, Bookkeeper & Office Manager