Four categories and festive gala at Casino Velden am Wörthersee
In recent years, Austria has impressively demonstrated the extraordinary creative and musical potential of the domestic scene. The annual Jazz Award - an initiative of the Austrian Music Council (ÖMR), mica-music austria, IG world music, Ö1 and Porgy & Bess - sees itself as an important platform for making visible and promoting the vibrant Austrian jazz landscape. For the 2025 edition, the Federal Ministry of Housing, Arts, Culture, Media and Sport, the Province of Carinthia and the Jam Music Lab Private University have been won as funding partners; ORF and Concerto Magazine are accompanying this year's award as media partners.
After the successful gala at the renowned Porgy & Bess on 5th of December 2024 with 255 submissions and three award-winning winners (Yvonne Moriel – Best Newcomer 2024, E C H O Boomer (Best Album 2024) and Synesthetic4 (Best Live Act 2024), the Austrian Jazz Award goes into the second round.
The submission phase starts on May 21, 2025. Artists and projects can upload their contributions until August 25th – the observation period of the published works is between August 26th, 2024 and August 25th, 2025.
New in 2025 is the category "High Impact Award", which is awarded by an independent jury and honors outstanding artists for their special contributions to the development and representation of the Austrian jazz scene at home and abroad. As before, awards will be presented in the three categories "Best Live Act", "Best Album" and "Best Newcomer". From September 1st to 15th, 2025, voting members of the Academy can propose five nominations per category. The ten most frequently mentioned contributions in each category will be nominated for the Jazz Award 2025.
■ The winners in the categories "Best Live Act" and "Best Album" will each receive 10,000 euros, a jazz prize ball and a follow-up concert.
■ In the category "Best Newcomer", 5,000 euros, a jazz prize ball and a follow-up concert will be awarded.
■ The second and third-place projects in all categories will each receive 1,000 euros and a Jazz Ball prize.
For the 2024 winners, a joint concert evening in Amsterdam could be organized, among other things.
Regardless of the submission process, the "Austrian Jazz Library" – a digital archive for Austrian jazz productions from 1st of January 2022 – will remain open all year round. Projects that do not participate in the competition can also be recorded and made visible here.
The festive gala will take place on November 26th, 2025 at Casino Velden am Wörthersee.
Schedule
■ May 21st – Press conference in Vienna (Porgy & Bess, 11 a.m.): Presentation of the ÖJP 2025 Start of the submission process for musicians – observation period of releases: 26.8.2024 – 25.8.2025 (Live Act, Album, Newcomer) Start of registration for the "Academy"
■ August 25th – Submission deadline
■ 1st – 15th September – Academy Voting
■ September 22th – Presentation of the nominees (Social Media Campaign + Ö1)
■ Beginning of October – Jury Voting
■ October 27th – Announcement of the winners (PK)
■ November 26th – Gala concert at Casino Velden (live broadcast Ö1)