- Three Thursdays of Jazz: Thursday 2
- Festival artistic director Ajay Heble suffers heart attack Monday, now stable
- GJF nominated for Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts
- Three Thursdays of Jazz: Thursday 1
- GJF Art Auction raises $21,000
- WORKSHOP: Burnt Sugar, on conduction technique
- CONCERT: Burnt Sugar brings hot sound to Guelph
- 2008 Winter Concerts
- Jazz Festival restructures, hires new staff
- Three October 2007 concerts
Current News
Jazz Festival restructures, hires new staff
Jazz Festival restructures, hires Executive Director and Director of Operations
The Guelph Jazz Festival’s Board of Directors has completed an organizational restructuring that began much earlier this year. It recently hired two familiar faces to fill two newly-defined jobs: Executive Director and Director of Operations.
Derek Andrews, who served as interim ED from June through September this year, has been hired as the Festival’s permanent ED. His main responsiblities are audience-building, marketing, development and finance. Derek brings a wealth of experience to our Festival, from his years with Harbourfront Centre in Toronto, and more recently as an independent manager and music promoter. Derek will work for the Festival half-time, year-round.
Julie Hastings, who was the Festival’s Executive Director prior to the restructuring, and who has served the Festival for well over a decade, has been hired as our permanent Director of Operations. Her main responsibilities will include staging the Festival and off-season events, along with key off-season administrative work like grant and report writing. Julie will work part-time for the Festival in the off-season and full-time from May through September.
Guelph Jazz Festival President Michelle Lobkowicz said, “We’re very lucky to have these two talented and reliable people working for the festival now, and to have a structure that meets our year-round needs.” The Festival is still looking for a third permanent employee: a part-time Administrative Coordinator, to do one day per week of bookkeeping and office administration. For more information contact: michelle_lob@yahoo.com
Become a Guelph Jazz Festival Board Member!
The Guelph Jazz Festival Board of Directors is seeking new members. If you love the Festival and want to be part of a diverse, dynamic community organization in Guelph , please contact us about becoming a member of the Board. In particular, the Festival is looking for individuals with these particular strengths:
- accounting background or experience
- human resources / management experience
- experience with fundraising and financial development
- community event management
- working with volunteers
- computer system support and website skills
Board terms are three years long, and there are approximately 8–10 board meetings a year.
If you are interested and would like further information, please be in touch with Michelle Lobkowicz at
Colloquium Keynote: George Lipsitz
University of California, Santa Barbara
Respected cultural theorist George Lipsitz is a Professor of Black Studies and Sociology, a fair housing and educational equity activist, and author of many publications, including Dangerous Crossroads and Footsteps in the Dark. His timely keynote address is entitled "Improvisation and Diaspora: Why New Orleans Matters".
Wednesday, Sept. 3
9:15 - 10:30 am
Macdonald Stewart Art Centre (Free)
