National Youth Jazz Orchestra Annual Report 2024–25

The National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) is a national music education charity founded in 1965, nurturing the next generation of UK jazz talent. In 2024/25 it worked with 3,943 young people across 279 learning sessions, supported 100+ Emerging Professionals with 159 paid performance opportunities, and presented 46 public performances to 8,517 audience members including a debut at Berlin's Konzerthaus. 46% of Under-18 participants receive bursaries and 32% come from regions beyond London. The year marked the passing of founder Bill Ashton OBE and saw the appointment of new CEO Yvette Griffith OBE and four Resident Musical Directors. Total funds stood at £1,423,437.

Report snapshot
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📋About

Emerging Professionals Programme (ages 18–25) providing rehearsals, masterclasses, performances and educator training; Under 18s weekly ensembles and First Collective beginner group; Widening Access partnerships with Music Education Hubs and schools nationally; First Time Jazz recruitment tour; school in-residence and CPD for music teachers; holiday projects; festival outreach including We Out Here, Cross the Tracks and EFG London Jazz Festival; international performances; community jazz choir in Woolwich; projects with at-risk young people (Cardboard Citizens); James Baldwin tribute; Steam Down collaboration; Sun Ra Reimagined; Young Euro Classic Berlin Custom geography from upload: UK-wide (home base Woolwich, South East London)

📊Key Metrics

3,943 young people reached across 279 learning sessions in 16 programmes; 46 public performances reaching 8,517 audience members Key Metric 1
100+ Emerging Professionals supported with 159 paid performance opportunities; 32% from regions beyond London; 32% from African, Asian, Caribbean or Mixed Heritage backgrounds Key Metric 2
46% of Under-18 participants receive bursaries; 46% benefit from free access (Pupil Premium, free school meals or low-income families) Key Metric 3

Key Outcomes

  • Largest single concert audience of 1,500 for British Standard Time at Berlin's Konzerthaus; NYJO Under 18s alumni have gone on to Birmingham Conservatoire, Leeds Conservatoire and Cambridge University
  • 29 in-school performances including 13 First Time Jazz sessions for 1,900 secondary school students; 69 educator training spaces delivered across 10 sessions
  • 19 workshops reached 365 young people through Widening Access programmes in Lancashire, Leicestershire, Manchester and Essex; 35 school shows reached 2,846 students

📍Geography

Other

2025

Artswork NPO Impact 2023–2025

21,008 young people worked with across the 2023–2025 NPO period; 80,301 community members positively impacted by youth-led changemaking work
Key Metric 1
12,505 young people made active change in their communities through consultations and creative commissions; 6,948 young people impacted through violence reduction work
Key Metric 2
90% of young people felt 'heard'; 91% of participants on Portsmouth Creative Skills programme reported feeling more positive about education, training and employment
Key Metric 3
4,996 qualifications issued across the period; 4,544 people undertook learning with Artswork; 157 young people improved their career prospects through in-depth work or practice-based support