Celebrating the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award Recipients
For over 30 years, the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award has been a vital platform for emerging jazz talent in the UK.
This prestigious award provides financial support and mentorship to help artists develop their craft, record new music, and take significant steps forward in their careers.
This year, we are thrilled to announce the recipient of the main award is Miles Pillinger (pictured). The award will allow Miles to record, release, and promote his debut album Belonging, giving him the opportunity to perform more shows, collaborate widely, and make his mark on the UK jazz scene.
“Being a self-funded artist, it’s very easy to get stuck in a rut of wanting to get to that next level but not having the time or funding to be able to do so. This award has gifted me that time to be creative and make this project the best it can possibly be. Also, to have an organisation on your side to back your ideas gives me confidence in myself and my work. I find this extremely motivating and makes a career in music even more possible. From this project, I can book shows with my band, create and sell Merch and get the ball rolling for more music in the future.”
This year, we also awarded an additional three musicians with development funding and business advice. These musicians include:
David Kofi – David is creating and releasing a new three-track project featuring original compositions and a collaboration with vocalist Josh Kye.
Christ-Stéphane Boizi – Christ-Stéphane is preparing to release his debut album with his sextet in late 2026.
Eleanor Colee – Eleanor is currently completing and promoting her debut EP, with intentions to tour this year and build a wider audience as a jazz musician.
These talented artists represent the future of UK jazz, and we are proud to support their journeys.
As panellist Rod Youngs shared, “It was a pleasure and honour to be a part of the panel. The passion, enthusiasm and artistry of the applicants indeed gives one a sense of optimism for the future.”