INARJ 2024 - Communities of Practice

From October 4–6, 2024, the 4th INARJ Conference “Communities of Practice” took place in Vienna, hosted by the JAM MUSIC LAB Private University for Jazz and Popular Music Vienna. Events were held at two venues: the Performing Stage at Musikquartier and the Spielraum at Gasometer Wien, with support from the City of Vienna’s cultural department.

The conference opened with greetings by Vice-Rector Ernst Theis and Michael Kahr. A hybrid panel discussion on artistic research in jazz and popular music addressed issues of transferability, collaboration, and specialization, bringing together experts from the UK, Austria, Belgium, and Germany.

Across three days, more than 30 presentations, lecture performances, and participatory sessions explored jazz pedagogy, improvisation teaching strategies, curriculum design, ownership and power in production networks, community radio practices, scene building, and inclusive online education. Contributors represented institutions from Cardiff, London, Birmingham, Lisbon, Toronto, Edinburgh, Tallinn, Florida, Utah, Pretoria, and Vienna.

Participatory formats such as “Start by Listening,” the “Improvisation Workshop Project,” and “Harmony in Community” emphasized collaborative knowledge-building. Sessions like “Talking Jazz” bridged artistic practice and scholarly reflection. All in-person presentations were live-streamed via Zoom, online presentations were screened on site, and interactive Q&A formats enabled exchange across physical and digital spaces. All sessions were recorded for documentation purposes.

More Information | www.artisticjazzresearch.com