Brecon Jazz: Brewery and concert promoter hope to run event

Singer Clare Teal celebrating the great British songbook at this year's Brecon Jazz festival. Photo: Finn Beales

A Cardiff events company and Carmarthenshire brewery both say they are interested in securing the future of Brecon Jazz.

It follows the decision of the Hay Festival to end its three-year contract.

Promoters Orchard Media and Events said it intends registering "an expression of interest" to take over the Powys music event held every August.

Llandeilo brewer Evan Evans said it was also willing to help fund events.

The brewery owns the George Hotel in Brecon and the company said it was "prepared to put its money" behind a deal to that could see jazz "live on" in the town.

"Brecon Jazz is a Welsh institution, that sadly over the last few years has lost its way," said the brewery's chief executive, Simon Buckley.

"Far from being a splendid street festival, where it had a carnival atmosphere, the festival has moved towards ever more expensive fixed venue gigs.

Fringe success

"It's time to re-focus and provide what the festival followers want."

The brewer said it saw the fringe events as the way forward for the festival.

"With pubs in the town, it seems a natural fit to us. We will support the council, town tourism, and the other bodies that want to see Brecon Jazz go back to its roots and become the best street party in the UK," added Mr Buckley.

Media and events firm Orchard said it wanted to hold talks with the Arts Council of Wales about running the festival.

"We are interested in securing and sustaining the event," said the company's Tim Powell.

"It is one the major events in Wales. It would be a real loss if it was to end."

The company said it had a long relationship with Brecon Jazz, both hosting concerts and handling public relations .

The media group describes itself as "probably the largest independent concert promoter in Wales", hosting about 200 events a year.

"It is an expression of interest in the festival - we are not ruling ourselves out," added Mr Powell.

It produces the the Soundtrack International Film and Music Festival in Cardiff, and ran the 'Welcome to Wales' gala concert for the Newport Ryder Cup in 2010.

The Brecon festival was taken over by neighbouring Hay literary festival in 2009.

Festival funding

But Hay Festival director Peter Florence confirmed earlier this week that the agreement would not be extended.

The Arts Council of Wales (ACW) confirmed that the opportunity was open to interested promoters to take over the running of Brecon Jazz, to which it had contributed just under £125,000 in each of the last three years.

An ACW spokesperson said it would continue to make that funding available.

"However, we will expect to see strong, appropriately skilled organisations who can sustain and build on the successes of the past few years.

"We will be holding discussions with the festival's other main funding partner, Powys County Council, to explore how they would like to see future festival events develop."