The Istanbul Jazz Festival, held in the first half of July every year since 1994, takes place in different concert and performance venues across the city. Diverse programming includes classic and modern jazz, Latin, Northern and other distinct jazz styles, as well as jazz and electronic fusion. The festival also celebrates and makes a place for other musical styles and each year includes performances from different genres such as pop, blues, reggae, funk, rock and world music.

In addition to traditional music venues, the festival brings its performances to some of Istanbul’s well known historical locations, as well as to the city’s streets, tramways and ferries. With the goal of promoting jazz production in Turkey and introducing Turkish jazz abroad, it organizes such events as the “European Jazz Club” and “Meeting of the Masters,” in which it brings together jazz artists from Turkey and abroad. Its “Young Jazz” series provides amateur jazz musicians an opportunity to perform on an international platform.