A new era for Hull Jazz Festival
Director to step back after 32 years
David Porter, who founded the Hull Jazz Festival in 1993, has today announced that he will step back as director of the Festival at the end of the year.
“I am delighted and excited to report that a new partnership has been agreed between the three organisations J-Night, Hull Music Hub and Hull City Council arts development team and to announce that the Albemarle Music Centre will become the new home for the Hull Jazz Festival and its umbrella strategy “Out of the Box.”
It is great that the Festival is in such safe hands. In particular we are all excited that talent development and commissioning opportunities will continue for Hull artists”.
“Out of the Box will champion new music of all genres through its programmes and we believe that this is a unique model for a jazz festival, which will have young people at its heart, working alongside the most innovative jazz artists in the UK.”
James Dickinson, Head of Hull Music Service said
“It is very exciting for Hull Music Service and the Albemarle Music Centre to become the new home for Hull Jazz Festival. We believe that we are the only music service in the country that delivers a music festival of this type and status. As part of our role as Hub Lead Organisation for the Humber Music Hub we are committed to supporting and nurturing new music of all genres. David has made an outstanding contribution to music making in Hull, and the Hull Jazz Festival and Out of the Box are his legacy to the city which we now have a responsibility to continue to promote and champion.”
David is currently celebrating 50 years as a producer, promoter, evaluator and mentor, working as a director across a wide range of art forms and for institutions including Lyric Studio Theatre, Hammersmith, Lincoln Festival, York Arts Centre, Hull & Ilkley Literature Festivals, National Rural Touring Forum and David now runs his own mentoring and talent development company Creative Arts Promotion. He was Hull’s first City Arts Officer from 1991 to 1995. He is a board member for Hull Music Hub and served as a member on the Arts Council North Board from 2013 to 2018. David is the current chair of Jazz North’s Talent Developers Forum.
