The most significant awards in Finnish jazz will be presented in Tampere on October 31

Each autumn, the Finnish Jazz Federation organizes the National Jazz Days for its members in conjunction with the Tampere Jazz Happening. The event includes the association’s annual meeting as well as panel discussions and training sessions for professionals in the field. The most prestigious awards in Finnish jazz are also presented during the event.

The recipient of the 2025 Yrjö Award will be announced at Tampere’s Paja Congress on Friday, October 31 at 7:00 p.m., as part of the Tampere Jazz Happening program. After the ceremony, the awarded artist will perform a short concert. In previous years, the award has been presented to bassist Antti Lötjönen (2024), saxophonist Linda Fredriksson (2023), and trumpeter Jukka Eskola (2022).

A detail from the artwork by visual artist Inka Bell, which will be presented as the 2025 Yrjö Award. Photo: Paavo Lehtonen

The Yrjö Award consists of an artwork created each year by a different visual artist. This year’s piece is by artist Inka Bell, whose works have recently been exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma and EMMA – the Espoo Museum of Modern Art. Bell received the William Thuring Main Prize in 2024.

Since 1988, the Finnish Jazz Federation has also occasionally presented the Andania Award, given for long-term and distinguished contributions to Finnish jazz. In 2023, the Federation launched the annual Taimi Award, presented to a young musician who passionately develops their own musical expression. The Taimi Award includes performance opportunities at three domestic jazz festivals, which this year are the Porvoo Jazz Festival, SaloJazz Festival, and the Jazz-Espa Festival organized by the Jazz Federation.

At the same award ceremony, Yle’s Jazzradio will also present its own Varjo-Yrjö (“Shadow Yrjö”) Award, which recognizes contributions to the promotion of jazz culture.

On Saturday, November 1, following the Finnish Jazz Federation’s statutory autumn meeting, a discussion will be held at Kulttuuritalo Laikku about the Federation’s upcoming strategy, the strengthening of regional cooperation, and the upcoming Jazz in Finland 100 anniversary year.

Cover photo: The 2024 Yrjö Award recipient, bassist Antti Lötjönen, is giving his acceptance speech. Photo: Maarit Kytöharju