Aberdeen Jazz Festival is offering a warm welcome to their wide programme of events next month by directly addressing cost of living concerns.
To make sure the music remains open to everyone, organisers have unveiled a series of free and low-cost events as well as a “warm welcome” initiative which offers free tickets to most events, with no questions asked.
Tuba in the Baths
The festival is running across the city between 12 and 22 March, and one highlight is a series of ticketed free concerts on Sunday 15 March at the city’s historic Bon Accord Baths.
A special Soundbath performance with violinist Matt Holborn and Elgin-based tuba player Danielle Price will make the most of the cathedral-like acoustics of the Art Deco building.
Closed to the public since 2008, the vast, light-drenched space will form an atmospheric backdrop to three specially commissioned short performances, with music reverberating around the tiled walls and pool floor.
Other free events include the Ron Bird Concert with the Celtic Django Project at Middlefield on 12 March, the FLaG Trio at Tillydrone Community Campus on 13 March and Richard Michael’s engaging journey through the history of jazz piano at the Cowdray Hall on 19 March.
Favourites for a fiver
To keep the festival affordable, several experiences have been priced at just ?5:
- Jazz the Day City (15 March), where a single five-pound ticket offers a full Sunday afternoon of music across four city centre venues
- Jazz For Kids! (14 March) – a lively, interactive workshop designed especially for children aged 2–11, with children under two getting in free
- The Toolbox Orchestra (21 March) with the first Scottish appearance for the all-female group from Berlin that channels the playful energy of 1920s and 1930s music
Offering a Warm Welcome
The festival is back for its 23rd year with a rich and varied programme spanning 13 days with over 30 events across 18 venues. Produced by Jazz Scotland and supported by Aberdeen City Council and Creative Scotland, the 2026 line-up covers everything from mainstream jazz to the avant garde and cutting-edge underground sounds.
With no tickets priced over ?30, the “warm welcome” initiative goes a step further by giving music lovers free tickets to most events. Crucially, there are no eligibility criteria to fulfil and no questions to answer, removing any potential stigma.
In addition, organisers have distributed more than 200 free tickets to the festival’s charity and community partners to extend its reach into every corner of the city.
There is also ?8 student entry at nearly all events, and senior concessions for the Thursday “Jazz at the Blue Lamp” concerts.
Cost of living crisis
John Youngs, CEO of Jazz Scotland, said: “We really want everyone to feel welcome to Aberdeen Jazz Festival. Affordability should never be a barrier to experiencing world-class musical experiences.
“We’ve intentionally provided a range of ways for local residents to tap into the music so they don’t even need to approach us for help.
“The current cost of living crisis is making it tough for many, but being together and sharing musical experiences shouldn’t be a luxury. It is a vital part of our community wellbeing.”
Councillor Martin Greig, Culture Spokesperson at Aberdeen City Council, said: “The Aberdeen Jazz Festival is more than just a celebration of music, it’s an opportunity for all ages to come together and connect at the incredible performances.
“Our city is Scotland’s centre for jazz and the festival is a great way to share the joy of the music and create happy memories.
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“The aim is to encourage more people to participate in, and enjoy time together in these splendid cultural activities. It is important to remove financial barriers and ensure that the festival is accessible and affordable. I hope that over the years the event continues to be successful with audiences and performers alike.”
Details of all concerts, venues and ticket sales can be found at: www.aberdeenjazzfestival.com
To take part in the Warm Welcome initiative, music lovers can simply email [email protected] with “warmwelcome” in the subject line to access free and “pay as you feel” tickets.
