Australian Jazz Archive Project

What is the Australian Jazz Archive?

The Australian Jazz Archive is a collaboration between the National Film and Sound Archive and the Australian jazz community represented by the Australian Jazz Archive National Council. It was established in 1998, to collect, preserve and provide access to materials relating to Australian jazz and its history from its earliest beginnings, to the vibrant music being created today. It is housed in Canberra with the National Film and Sound Archive.

The location of the Australian Jazz Archive at the National Film and Sound Archive has great advantages. It means that the Jazz Archive is serviced by teams of expert technicians, skilled in handling all audio-visual media using extensive technical facilities. It also means that jazz materials can be cross-referenced with areas such as film, television, and radio, thus placing jazz music in the larger context of Australian culture.

What does the Australian Jazz Archive do?

As part of the National Film and Sound Archive's existing Collection Development Policy, the Australian Jazz Archive seeks information regarding sound recordings, films, oral histories, videos on various formats, and documentation such as photographs and memorabilia relating to Australian jazz. Individuals who hold such items are invited to contact either the Australian Jazz Archive Coordinator at the Archive, a regional delegate or the Chair of the Australian Jazz Archive National Council.

The Australian Jazz Archive is a proactive public resource. Besides developing, preserving and making accessible a National Collection of jazz materials, its activities include:

  • maintaining the National Register of Australian Jazz Interviews which lists jazz interviews held throughout Australia;
  • public exhibitions;
  • issuing and reissuing rare historic recordings restored and remastered at the Archive
  • support for publications relating to Australian jazz;
  • various special commemorative events.

Australia has a particularly dynamic jazz community and the Australian Jazz Archive seeks to work together with this community to preserve our unique jazz history.

There are around 100 jazz archives in different parts of the world, and the Australian Jazz Archive is also developing its network of contacts with these sister organisations. This will enable an exchange of information, helping map the contribution of Australian musicians to the development of jazz internationally.

How can you contribute to the Australian Jazz Archive?

All information and enquiries are valued. You may wish to donate items, or to inform us of the existence of material which can be included on a national register. The National Film and Sound Archive relies on the generous support of the community to strengthen the Australian Jazz Archive Collection. By lodging your material with the Archive, you are helping preserve our Australian heritage.

Direct access to information about the Australian Jazz Archive Collection is available on the online collection database and the National Register of Australian Jazz Interviews.

The Chair and Delegates of the Australian Jazz Archive National Council can provide information about regional activities relating to the Australian Jazz Archive.

If you would like to lodge your jazz material with the National Film and Sound Archive or you have any questions about the Australian Jazz Archive, please contact:

Collection Development
Australian Jazz Archive Project Coordinator
National Film and Sound Archive.
PO Box 2002
CANBERRA CITY 2601

Telephone: +61 2 6248 2147
Fax: +61 2 6248 2167
Email: collection.nfsa@afc.gov.au