SIMAJazz Information

SIMA enables the creative development, production, promotion and presentation of Australian jazz. Our core business is public performance. We present creative programs which celebrate the inventive and exuberant art of improvisation for our community of 500+ artists, our members, audiences, donors and sponsors. We advocate for capacity building, the fostering of ideas and innovation, and welcome people of all abilities, cultures and circumstances to our programs. SIMA was established in 1984 as a non-profit association with the aim increasing performance opportunities for Australian contemporary jazz and improvised music in Sydney. Today it is one of the largest organisations in Australia dedicated to the jazz sector. SIMA has established a range of nationally recognised artist development and education programs, including the Young Women’s Jazz Workshops, Sonic Futures and Emerging Composers Mentorships. SIMA commissions large-scale jazz works. It produces two annual festivals (Orange Winter Jazz Festival with JAM Orange and the Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival), and invests in audience development for the sector. Based in Zetland, SIMA is a Resident Company of the Joynton Avenue Creative Centre, where it programs intermittently in venues including the Seymour Centre, Mary’s Underground, The Great Club, The Opera House and City Recital Hall. It has a team of four part time staff members and 6 long-term contractors. SIMA’s Artistic Director Zoe Hauptmann, is a respected bassist and programmer. The SIMA Board is made up of seven members with specialised skills and experience in the Arts and Cultural Industries, Commerce, Law and Media. The Sydney Improvised Music Association is funded by Create NSW and the City of Sydney, Australia Council for the Arts, as well as a range of state and local governments and philanthropic foundations.