Call for Research Papers Focused on Jazz Audiences

The third annual Jazz Education Network Conference, January 4-7, Louisville, KY is calling for submission of research papers related to its theme “Developing Tomorrow's Jazz Audiences Today." The research track solicits the submission of original, principled research papers dealing with topics related to audience development for jazz in particular, but also for the arts in general. The research track will run parallel with presentations by the Jazz Arts Group of Columbus on the Jazz Audiences Initiative. Such presentations will include various track offerings, i.e. Marketing and Messaging; Venues; and Presenting and Producing. During the past 18 months, the Jazz Audiences Initiative has studied fundamental questions related to how and why people engage with jazz. Jazz artists, producers, presenters, and educators nationwide will learn new ideas for building audiences, and infusing the art form with new energy. The research serves as a framework for testing new strategies for overcoming barriers to jazz participation and for building jazz audiences through more targeted marketing and programming efforts. For more information on the initiative and a review of the literature, visit our website.

The Jazz Audiences Initiative explored the following key research questions:

• What does “jazz" mean to people? How do people relate to jazz as an art form?
  
• How do people develop preferences for different forms of jazz?
  
• What are the pathways into the art form?
  
• How much “taste diversity" is there within the jazz audience?
  
• What kinds of live jazz experiences do people want?
  
• How does setting affect preference and attendance?
  
• What are the connections between attendance and personal practice?

Submission Guidelines:

Submit a 1-2 page abstract by August 15, 2011. Papers should directly relate to the research questions above and may include:

• Historical perspectives on jazz/ arts audiences
• Quantitative studies
• Case studies
• Literature reviews

Submissions need to be Word documents in .doc or .pdf format. Presentations will be 50 minutes in length, including a minimum of 10 minutes for questions and answers. Presenters will also have the opportunity to present their findings in a combined poster/ information session showcasing all accepted research findings. A projector and screen will be available, presenters will need to provide their own computers and projector adapters. Presenters agree to become members of JEN and attend the JEN conference. For more information, to submit an abstract, and join JEN, go here.