United Kingdom
Steve Mead serves as the CEO, co-founder, and Artistic Director of Manchester Jazz Festival (mjf), where he has spearheaded initiatives for talent and audience development, along with the commissioning of new work. Under his leadership, mjf achieved significant recognition, winning the Europe Jazz Network Award for Adventurous Programming in 2016, making it the sole UK recipient to date. It also received the Artistic Director’s Exchange Award in 2017.
mjf holds the distinction of being a PRS Foundation Talent Development Partner and was the inaugural UK Keychange Associate Festival, acknowledging its commitment to gender-balanced programming. Furthermore, it stands as the founding member of Black Lives in Music, a vital supporter of cultural diversity in UK music. Additionally, mjf plays a pivotal role in the Europe-wide Constellations Artist Development Exchange Programme.
In addition to his role at mjf, Steve also assumes the position of Head of Talent Development for Jazz North, an Arts Council England-funded jazz development agency focused on the northern region of England. He previously chaired the Jazz Promotion Network across the UK and Ireland and currently serves on the board of the Europe Jazz Network, the Greater Manchester Music Commission Steering Group, and advisory panels for Serious, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and PRS Foundation.
Steve Mead is a sought-after speaker at international music conferences, passionately dedicated to supporting artists and music professionals at all stages of their careers. His interests span a broad spectrum, encompassing new music, interactions with diverse individuals, and vintage items that continue to function.
