Over the weekend, the Brecon Jazz Festival entered its 43rd year of bringing a lively atmosphere to Brecon. Thousands descended on the town, finding something to enjoy at The Muse, The Guildhall, Theatr Brycheiniog, The Bulwark and Bethel Square. While celebrations are in the air, behind the scenes Chris Jones, the Chair of the Festival, admits the future looks uncertain.

“It went really well,” Chris told The Brecon and Radnor Express. “It was very well attended with lots in the town, and it was a family friendly atmosphere. We had excellent music on the Bulwark Stage and excellent music on the Saturday and Sunday on the Bethel Square stage. I think people appreciated the music. We also had excellent jazz performances in our ticketed venues, with lots of standing ovations. It went really well.”

The festival relies on funding from multiple sources, including Powys County Council and the Welsh Government. “We’re improving things and we will continue to try to improve things. It’s always a challenge to get grants and money in to support these things. There’s a lot of work now to write applications for funding. We need local businesses to support us as well. We’re keen to continue to grow.”

Chris is looking ahead to planning next years festival, which includes booking artists in the autumn, and locking down venues, but the team starts the process with no money. “It’s hard to be clear on what happens next year. To be able to build on this year we need to be successful in raising funds, but at the moment there’s no money. Welsh Government have given three years of funding, and this year just gone is the last of those three years. We won’t get that same money again. We had support from Powys County Council, which we’re grateful for, but we don’t know if we will get that support again.”

If funding isn’t secured, it means the scale of the festival will be smaller than it usually is. “We will try and do something, but we can’t say what it will be at the moment. That’s the challenge. When you start the year with no money, it’s hard to feel confident with plans.”

However, it’s not all bad news. The success of the festival speaks for itself. Chris says that the Welsh Government were impressed with this years festival, and Arts Council of Wales had representatives attend over the weekend, and they were also happy with what they saw.

The process for applications can be long, and is out of Chris’s control, but he is optimistic.

“I hope that we can build on what happened this year,” Chris continues. “It’s a massive, positive thing for Brecon. It’s a strong brand. When you mention Brecon to people from out of the area they immediately know Brecon Jazz. It brings a lot of people in and supports the local economy. It’s lovely for the community, too. It’s definitely something we wish to continue, but we do need support.”