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music · Tuesday 21 July 2026 · 9:30am 
Sligo Jazz Project International Summer School 21-26 July 2026
At Atlantic Technological University Sligo · Bellanodoa, Sligo, Co. Sligo
At Atlantic Technological University Sligo · Bellanodoa, Sligo, Co. Sligo
Every July, Sligo becomes a gathering point for jazz musicians from across Europe and beyond. The Sligo Jazz Project International Summer School - run by the Sligo Jazz Project since 2006 - has grown into one of Europe’s most respected jazz education weeks, drawing over thirty world-class tutors to Atlantic Technological University for six days of workshops, masterclasses, and ensemble work. What makes it stand apart is the mix: serious players sharpening their craft alongside complete beginners, all ages from ten upward, all welcome in the same rooms. The 2026 artist in residence is Aaron Parks, the acclaimed American pianist and composer; the young artist in residence is Sun-Mi Hong, the South Korean drummer based in Amsterdam.
Mornings run at ATU Sligo and ATU St Angela’s, with whole-school workshops covering transcription, ear training, rhythm, and ensemble technique. Masterclasses then split into smaller groups by instrument - voice, saxophone, drums, guitar, piano, bass, trumpet, trombone, and violin are all covered. Tutors in 2026 include Elina Duni and Rob Luft on folk-rooted atmosphere, Freddie Hendrix on leading from the front line, and Jasper Høiby and John Goldsby on a lifetime at the bass. Evenings move into the town itself: free jam sessions run twice daily in pubs and hotels across Sligo, and evening concerts at the Hawk’s Well Theatre feature faculty members and guest acts. Most of what the public can drop in on is free - the jam sessions and open sessions cost nothing. For players who want to enrol rather than observe, a single masterclass runs at €80 and a full-day package at €150. Registration closes 30 June, so book ahead.
Sligo town is just over two hours from Dublin by road via the N4/N17. Bus Éireann runs regular services from Dublin Busáras (route 23), and there are also connections from Galway and Ballina. Sligo train station is on the Western Rail Corridor line, with direct services from Dublin Connolly; the journey takes around three hours. ATU Sligo is a short drive or bus ride west of the town centre at Bellanodoa; on-campus parking is generally available. The town centre itself is compact and walkable for the evening sessions and pub concerts.
Sligo has real depth beyond the university campus - Yeats country starts here, Lough Gill and Ben Bulben are within easy reach, and the surf beaches at Strandhill and Rosses Point are twenty minutes away. There is more to see in Sligo and across Co. Sligo.
Heading to Atlantic Technological University Sligo in Sligo? Sligo has plenty more to see. Read the Sligo area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.