Jazz Winnipeg’s Bridging the Gap campaign runs until the end of the year. (JAZZWINNIPEG.COM)
Jazz Winnipeg has launched Bridging the Gap, a $200,000 community fundraising campaign, following the end of TD’s longstanding title sponsorship of the Winnipeg International Jazz Festival.
The campaign runs through December 31 and aims to raise one-time community support to give the organization time to diversify its funding, secure new partnerships and build a more sustainable future as costs rise.
TD ended its title sponsorship as part of a broader shift affecting several jazz festivals across Canada. Jazz Winnipeg says the support helped the festival grow and paid for free programming, and that the transition follows a challenging festival year.
“We’re asking our community to help us through an important transition so we can keep creating those experiences for years to come,” said Angela Heck, executive director of Jazz Winnipeg.
The 2026 festival drew more than 24,000 attendees across 55 shows, including 31 free performances at Old Market Square. It featured 57 artists from eight countries, 41 of them from Manitoba, and relied on 268 volunteers. Across the festival and year-round programming, Jazz Winnipeg welcomed more than 30,000 attendees.
Donations to the campaign can be made online: jazzwinnipeg.com/bridging-the-gap
