Jazz Centrum Vlaanderen
Documentation centre in Dendermonde for traditional jazz and blues, with an archive, an exhibition and a piano bar.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Jazz Centrum Vlaanderen (JCV) is a vzw founded in 2002 to preserve, document and promote jazz and blues in Flanders. Its articles of association focus on jazz music in general, and above all on the heritage of New Orleans, traditional jazz and traditional blues. The centre runs entirely on volunteers and has received support since 2004 from the city of Dendermonde and the province of East Flanders; a cultural agreement with the city has existed since 2020.
The JCV is housed in a former military ammunition laboratory from 1829 in Bastion V of the Dendermonde fortifications, close to the Honky Tonk Jazz Club, with which it works closely. The collection grows thanks to donations and consists mainly of LPs: more than 14,000 records have been checked and archived. The centre also keeps CDs, books and magazines about jazz and blues, recordings from around 1917 to 1987, and the personal archive of the Antwerp jazz musician Robert De Kers, which has been accessible since 2017. Old playback equipment is also kept, so that the material can still be listened to.
Visitors can view the exhibition and the collection and have a drink in the piano bar. Each year the JCV organises at least one themed exhibition, as well as lectures, workshops and small concerts. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005 the centre also started NOMA (New Orleans Music AID), an initiative to support musicians from New Orleans.
Highlights
- Archive with more than 14,000 LPs, CDs, books and magazines on jazz and blues
- Personal archive of the Antwerp jazz musician Robert De Kers
- Annual themed exhibition on jazz and blues
- Piano bar with a patio when the weather is nice
- Housed in a former military ammunition laboratory from 1829
Permanent exhibition
- Collectie en archief – The collection consists of more than 14,000 LPs, CDs, books, magazines and personal archives on jazz and blues; the catalogues are available as PDFs on the website.
- Founded
- 2002
- Operated by
- Jazz Centrum Vlaanderen vzw
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Groups | €10 per personGuided tour for groups of up to 25 people by appointment, including one drink. Collaboration with musicians costs extra. |
|---|
A visit during opening hours is free. Double LPs from the archive can be bought for €3.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The centre has a piano bar; in good weather you can sit on the patio. Double LPs are for sale.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | A guide tells groups about the origins of jazz and blues with audio and video excerpts; the content can be agreed in advance. For schools and associations there are interactive workshops tailored to them. |
