Council considering changing the name of Derry's Jazz Festival
by Gareth Cross
The name of one of Derry's best known music festivals could be set to change.
The City of Derry Jazz and Big Band Festival is one of the city's yearly highlights with a large number of people visiting the area for the event.
Now, the local council have recommended changing the name of the festival to the City of Derry Jazz and Music Festival.
A council officer told councillors at a meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council's Business and Culture Committee in Strabane this week that the festival was more commonly known locally as the 'Jazz Festival'
"Analysis of the campaign and online conversation, as well as day to day interaction with venues, artists and audiences would suggest that people refer to the festival as ‘The Jazz Festival’ rather than Jazz & Big Band Festival," they said.
"With this in mind it is recommended that the name of the festival be reviewed.
"Taking this into consideration, as well as the fact that the festival now promotes a range of music genres, it is suggested that the festival be renamed as the City of Derry Jazz and Music Festival."
UUP Alderman councillor Derek Hussey said he would not be in favour of losing the current name as 'big band and jazz go together'.
Cllr Hussey told council that big band music was 'active within the city and district' and he also called for council to increase advertising for the festival in the Omagh area.
At the meeting councillors discussed the success of the 2017 Jazz Festival and approved plans for the 2018 festival.
Councillors were told that an estimated 60,000 people visited the festival with over 50 local venues taking part making it the 'most successful year to date'.
A council officer revealed plans for a new Show Bands exhibition to be set up in Derry in the lead up to the 2018 festival.
The officer told the meeting that the cost of the exhibition and a showcase would be £3,000.
Councillors were told that the 2017 festival was delivered within council's budget of £121,000 with a possibility of an underspend due to the revenue brought in.
The council agreed to support a budget of £120,000 for next year's festival with £50,000 of that being used to book a headline performer for the festival.
Last year's headline performer was Dublin based singer-songwriter Imelda May.
However, during the meeting council did recognise the need for 'transitional changes' to the way the festival is run.
A council officer said that council ultimately wanted to only be involved 'in coordination and promotion' including helping pay for high-profile acts and marketing with 'venues taking ownership for the acts within their premises' to make the festival more sustainable in the future.
Sinn Fein councillor Paul Fleming welcomed the report saying that the attempt to make the festival more sustainable made sense.
He also praised the idea of the Show Bands exhibition which he said would appeal to people 'right across the North-West and further afield'.
The SDLP's councillor Martin Reilly said that the festival was delivering for ratepayers and 'people are responding with their feet'.
DUP Alderman councillor David Ramsay said that he was pleased to see cross-community involvement in the festival with marching bands taking part in the event.