Arcevia Jazz Feast

A historic event in Marche jazz

For almost thirty years, Arcevia Jazz Feast has been one of the most established events in the jazz and improvised music scene in the Marche region. The festival takes place in the Municipality of Arcevia, a charming hilltop village in the province of Ancona overlooking the Misa and Nevola valleys, where the intimate atmosphere of the historic center and the surrounding landscape become an integral part of the musical experience.

An open-air jazz school

The heart of the event is the summer improvisation workshops, a true jazz school immersed in the territory. Activities range from instrument lessons, ensemble music, improvisation technique, harmony, big band, ear training, workshops, and masterclasses. The teaching spaces change and multiply: classrooms, cloisters, gardens, forest clearings, following a philosophy that sees creative freedom as a constant dialogue between musicians and different musical languages.

The teaching staff brings together established musicians from the national scene, including names like Susanna Stivali, Massimo Morganti, Simone La Maida, Samuele Garofoli, Marco Postacchini, Paolo Ghetti, Emilio Marinelli, Roberto Zechini, and Roberto Desiderio over the years. The days are not limited to study: nature walks, visits to the village museums, and especially the evening jam sessions, from 10 PM until late at night, complete a total immersion experience in jazz.

Concerts and atmosphere

The educational part is intertwined with a season of concerts and events open to the public, which transform Arcevia into a small crossroads of improvised music. The workshop traditionally concludes with a final concert in the heart of the village, in Piazza Garibaldi, showcasing the work done by teachers and students during the week.

The new phase from 2026

From 2026, the event expands its reach across the territory, connecting the mountains and the sea. The workshops move to Ancona, at the Mole Vanvitelliana, as part of the new Mole Jazz Academy project in collaboration with the Ancona Jazz festival. In Arcevia, however, an artistic residency will take place in September at the Teatro Misa and the San Francesco Cultural Center, dedicated to the composition, production, and presentation of an original musical work by young professional musicians and conservatory students, with concerts and jam sessions open to the public.

Why participate

• One of the longest-running summer jazz schools in the Marche region, with almost thirty years of history.
• National-level instructors and a teaching approach based on improvisation and ensemble music.
• The unique setting of the village of Arcevia and, from 2026, the new artistic residency with concerts open to the public.
• Evening jam sessions and a community of musicians animating the village until late at night.