Jazz Festival Calgary cancelled

I's sad for Jazz lovers living in Calgary and Alberta (Canada). The local jazz festival has ben cancelled for lack of money, this is the only messeage that it is possible to read on offical festival's web site:

It is with great regret that the Jazz Festival Calgary Society announces it will not be producing a 10-day jazz festival in 2006. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we will not have the resources necessary to continue to produce this year’s festival. Funding uncertainties, the timing of notification of ever-decreasing government funding, and unexpected demands from some of our creditors have caused us to make this very difficult decision.

We wish to sincerely thank all of our sponsors - both past and present - for their support. We especially thank TD Canada Trust without whom we would not have been able to produce an event in 2004 and 2005. Thank you for your commitment to this music.

We are tremendously grateful to the many volunteers and volunteer coordinators that have made this festival possible in the past. This festival is driven by the work of volunteers, and we simply would not have been able to produce our annual event for the past eight years without your generous gifts of time and effort. Thank you for your commitment to the festival.

Thank you to the musicians who dedicate their lives to the learning and practice of this art form, and to all the music fans who support them through their patronage of events like ours.

Our small, dedicated, and absolutely amazing staff has been asked to resign. We could not put them through the stress of another festival year knowing that the funding support necessary for the success of the Festival might not be there when it is most needed.

Finally, we extend a special thank you to Festival Founder Marc Vasey. Marc’s vision for jazz music festivals over 25 years ago has transformed Alberta’s music festival landscape. Without his personal commitment and dedication to the advancement of jazz in this province, none of our achievements to date would have been possible.

Please address all correspondence to:

Jazz Festival Calgary Society
#614, 339 10th Avenue SE
Calgary, Alberta
T2G 0W2