The organising team of Jazzkaar 2020 Festival announces that due to the health risks and international travel restrictions related to the coronavirus, Jazzkaar 2020 Festival will take place from 17 until 26 April at a smaller scale than originally planned. The current decision to still go through with the festival will be reviewed by 31 March 2020 in the light of new developments.
Due to the spread of the coronavirus and decisions made by the Estonian health authorities, the Jazzkaar 2020 team has decided to hold this year’s festival at a smaller scale for the safety of its audience, performers and organisers. Organisers of the festival strongly advise foreign tourists planning to attend Jazzkaar 2020 not to travel to the festival for their own safety.
Unfortunately, Jazzkaar 2020 Festival cannot be postponed to later dates maintaining a similar programme, as many of the artists performing at the festival are among the world’s most prominent jazz musicians with touring and concert schedules agreed well in advance. Therefore it is not possible to schedule these artists to perform at the same time in Estonia in the near future.
Jazzkaar Festival has so far made the following changes in their programme:
– Ticket sales to the concert of the the festival headliner, Dee Dee Bridgewater performing with Estonian Dream Big Band are closed to keep the audience number below 1,000;
– Workshops of the international children’s project Kids Can to be attended by approximately 20 young people from Estonia, Denmark and Portugal as well as the concert in Tallinn will be postponed to the concert season of Autumn Jazz or will be held as part of the Christmas Jazz Festival;
– Jazzkaar’s free concerts’ day will take place at a reduced scale;
– Alternative performers will be found for concerts by artists who live or have stayed in high-risk areas of COVID-19.
Further changes in the programme may occur in relation to the risks and limitations related to COVID-19. We will keep our audiences informed on an ongoing basis.
Jazzkaar 2020 Festival confirms that should a concert of an international or Estonian artist be cancelled due to additional circumstances, all concert tickets will be refunded.
Also, please note that Jazzkaar 2020 Festival may limit the number of visitors also for smaller venues besides the concert at Alexela Concert Hall, to keep the health risks to our visitors to a minimum. We apologise already in advance to all people who may not be able to attend their desired concerts. Visitors who have already purchased tickets will have a guaranteed access to the concerts.
The organising team of Jazzkaar 2020 Festival consults with the Health Board of the Republic of Estonia on an ongoing basis, follows the local government regulations and monitors the worldwide developments related to the coronavirus. The current decision to still go through with the festival will be reviewed by 31 March if necessary and the audiences will be informed in due course. Higher hygiene requirements will apply in the festival area.