In the recent National Portfolio Organisation funding round for 2015/2018 Jazz Services funding application was unsuccessful. There were a number of unhelpful comments and allegations on social media sites. These gratuitous comments brings to mind Edmund Burke’s comments on the publication, ‘The present state of the nation’ – “Well stored with pious frauds, and like most discourses of the sort, much better calculated for the private advantage of the preacher than the edification of the hearer”.
Jazz Services responded to these allegations with the following statement:
“Following a thorough investigation by an independent expert, appointed by the Arts Council itself, Jazz Services’ finances and use of funds were found to be properly accounted for, and its expenditure in-line with other organisations of a similar size and remit.
Of the four recommendations made by the independent expert, three recommendations related to increasing income from non-Arts Council sources. This has always been, and continues to be, a part of Jazz Services’ strategy.
Jazz Services’ financial reporting is both thorough and comprehensive, and the organisation takes on-board the importance of translating complex financial information into information that people without a financial background can understand. It is with regret that allegations were made before Jazz Services’ financial position was fully understood.
We are very happy to say that in the financial year 2014-2015, Jazz Services has increased its direct spending by just under 10% on the previous year, and is allocating:
£70,000 for the National Touring Support Scheme
£52,960 to NYJO as part of our on-going commitment to the ensemble
£45,000 for the Jazz Promoters Award
£34,740 to our International Showcases
£31,500 for the Rural Touring Support Scheme
£15,000 for the Recording Support Scheme
£15,000 for the Recording Support Touring grants
£1,000 to support the Will Michael Awards for Jazz Education
Like other charities, our recent statutory accounts are publicly available to view on the Charity Commission’s website: www.charitycommission.gov.uk”.
A total of £265,200 is going into frontline services and this figure does not take into account the online listings, website and the Online Music Business Resource that provides a range of self-help manuals that back up the touring, recording and promoters schemes. This figure also does not take into account the invaluable advice that is given to musicians, promoters, the general public and so forth on a daily basis. The sum of £265,000 does not take into account the fair and impartial workings of the panels who select the touring bands, recording bands, international showcases and the promoter’s awards
At my recent retirement party I spoke of the need for jazz in the UK to work together and after 29 years at the helm of Jazz Services it had not escaped my notice that as jazz is so under resourced in terms of public funding and every one works like stink; as a result, occasionally jazz in the UK shoots itself in the foot and when it not doing that it stabs itself in the back. Jazz in the UK is an ecology and all jazz organisations, promoters and musicians are in a real sense dependent on each other whether in receipt of public funds or wholly commercial. It is crucial that Jazz in the UK sticks together and continues to build a sustainable and vibrant ecology.
To read the full report please click on: The die is cast? – Jazz Services 2015 to 2018