Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival builds community, connection, and creativity in 2023

Since first taking flight with an inaugural event in 2019, the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival has served as a showcase for leading talent from the Fraser Valley, Metro Vancouver, and the Province of BC at large. Each year, the Festival has enabled this talent to animate the streets of Fort Langley with live music and art.

Appreciative audiences take in an outdoor concert during the 2022 Festival.

The 2023 Festival is slated for July 20 – 23, and will continue in this tradition: elevating emerging and established artists, engaging audiences from near and far, and building a robust community of music lovers. Amplify BC’s Live Music program has supported these efforts annually since 2019.  The Festival also benefits from a title sponsorship by Canadian investment management firm Odlum Brown, along with other sponsors and funders.

In advance of the 2023 Festival’s launch, Creative BC staff connected with Karen Zukas and Dave Quinn – the Festival’s Executive Director and Artistic Director, respectively, and also each Festival co-founders – to discuss the thoughts, plans, and goals that underpin it each year.

“We’re dedicated to presenting innovative, creative, and unique musical experiences that can be accessed by everyone. We do this through creating community appreciation of the many genres of jazz through concerts, artistic projects, and partnerships that cross musical genres and cultural boundaries. We also provide a platform for professional and emerging musicians and artists to be showcased, and to connect with new audiences,” says Karen.  

She continues, “Most of all, we work each year to present Fort Langley as both a hub for music and culture, and as a destination for audiences thanks to the presentation of world-class jazz music and related exhibits.”

Festival co-founders (and artistic and executive leaders) Karen Zukas and Dave Quinn.

Through programming and partnerships, the Festival is committed to the representation of underrepresented groups, gender parity, and inclusive programming. Since its formation in 2018, the Festival has demonstrated sustained growth – reflecting an engaged and attentive audience, always hungry for new musical experiences – and a commitment to elevating jazz as a musical form. The event has grown in both scope and attendance from a single-day inaugural event in that attracted 5,000 people to multiple days at the 2019 Festival that captured attendance in excess of 15,000.

In 2020, with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic making themselves known, Festival organizers responded to these challenges by creating a high-caliber virtual event viewed by a global audience of over 15,000. In 2021, the Festival transitioned to a hybrid format featuring free outdoor performances, a unique Indigenous-Jazz fusion music collaboration with Kwantlen First Nation and Vancouver-based jazz trio, Triology, art exhibits, and a welcoming mix of in-person and streamed headliner acts. This approach enabled audiences to engage in ways that felt safe for them, while also reaching into new demographics.

This effort also provided the momentum needed for a sustained recovery for the Festival in 2022. As Karen explains:

“In celebration of our having made it through the worst of the pandemic, it was fitting that the 2022 Festival was the biggest one on record, attracting an estimated 15,000 people to the streets of Fort Langley! With eight indoor and outdoor venues, 300 artists and 60 bands, two full days of free music, and a growing list of new things to do and see, the event enabled attendees to connect and share their love of jazz in all its forms. The 2022 Festival not only provided access to incredible performances and created opportunities for all kinds of artists: it also brought the community together in celebration of these things.”

When asked to comment on the July 2023 iteration of the Festival, Dave says, “At the heart of the Festival, we aim to bring a experience like no other, with exceptional artists, extraordinary musical performances, cultural experiences, and visual art all in a very special setting: the quaint and beautiful Village of Fort Langley.”

Crowds take in a popular mid-afternoon event at the 2022 Festival.

Dave continues, “This year, for the sixth edition of the Festival, we will continue to present expansive, innovative and inclusive programming featuring international, national, regional and local world-class musicians, youth and emerging talent, and Indigenous art and culture, along with art installations and family-friendly musical activities. Programming will encompass the Village of Fort Langley, including five outdoor stages. Venues will include both free performances and headliner ticketed shows, including two nights of headliner blues acts on two outdoor stages. No matter your connection to jazz, this year’s programming offers something for everyone.”

When asked to consider the creative inspirations that underpin the Festival’s development and launch each year, both Karen and Dave agree that they are inspired by other music festivals locally, regionally, and across Canada who continue to navigate the lingering impacts of COVID-19 in support of live music.

Dave adds, “I am also inspired by the incredible talent from across the country that we will be presenting at this year’s event. The richness of these acts promises an unforgettable experience, offering insights into the diverse facets of jazz and its influence on different genres.”

When asked to offer a few words of advice for other applicants seeking support for their own efforts to contribute to the ecology itself as it continues to recover, Karen is quick to offer insights gained from her own experiences:

”Do your homework! Attend Creative BC grant workshops, read the grant guidelines thoroughly beforehand, reach out to a Creative BC staff member – they are always helpful, and willing to answer questions – and have a clear idea of your project goals, benefits, and deliverables. You’ll also want to gather examples of your previous project successes, such as attendance numbers, volunteer hours, direct and indirect community benefits, and audience demographics. Finally, objective engagement measurements like social media activity and website analytics never hurt to solidify your case for support.”

Karen concludes, ”Finally, give yourself lots of time to prepare your grant application!”

You can learn all about the 2023 Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival’s programming and offerings here.

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