UNESCO City of Music

London's own Tean Dream visited Varaždin, Croatia in August as part of a UNESCO City of Music exchange. Tean Dream performed at Špancirfest, an annual festival that brings colour, joy and creativity to the streets of Varaždin. For over 25 years, the festival has brought liveliness to the city with music, street performances, workshops, creativity and so much more.

Two designers from Asahikawa, Japan (UNESCO City of Design), Kaoru Ueda and Takaya Yokoi, created a logo for the 2025 London UNESCO City of Music Conference, symbolizing connection and creativity between the two cities. The designers presented the project at the Conference. The collaborative project represents how international partnerships can inspire innovation, cultural exchange and sustainable design within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. 

After performing at the 2024 UNESCO City of Music annual meeting in London, Jordan MacDonald (Texas King) was invited to perform at the 2025 host city for the UNESCO Cities of Music annual meeting - Pesaro, Italy. Jordan took on two other performances during his visit, in Bologna and Bolzano, fellow UNESCO Cities of Music. Jordan built relationships in the network and strengthened London's image as an international hub of music. 

London welcomed Bydgoska Akademia Jazzu from Bydgoszcz, Poland, for the 2024 London Jazz Festival. Through performances, workshops and cultural experiences, the exchange celebrated music’s power to inspire international collaboration and strengthen global connections.

Each year on April 30, International Jazz Day brings together UNESCO Creative Cities of Music in a shared cultural exchange project called the Jazz Day Relay. This year’s edition centers on April in Jerusalem, an original composition by Samer Rashed of Ramallah, UNESCO City of Music.

John Fellner travelled to the England after performing in Germany and South Korea for previous exchanges. After winning over crows at past exchanges, John was requested to showcase at the legendary Cavern Club made famous by The Beatles. This exchange saw John participate in a series of live performance opportunities and songwriting programs. 

UNESCO Cities of Music around the world joined forces to celebrate International Jazz Day 2024 with a collaborative video showcasing local jazz talent. The project highlights the global impact of jazz while fostering cultural connections and creative collaboration between member cities.

Park Siyeon Trio (Daegu, South Korea, UNESCO City of Music) graced the UNESCO City of Music stage at Sunfest 2024 after participating in the annual UNESCO Jazz Day Relay. The group also recorded as part of the Red Room Sessions at the RnR BnB.

Lovetown Records took the show on the road to Detroit UNESCO City of Design to participate in a UNESCO Exchange as part of Detroit Design Week. The showcase brought London's Sunshine Makers and Amanda Movio to Motown for a rooftop concert with Detroit artist Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers. This showcase opened the door for future collaborations with Detroit and served as a great opportunity further connect the two creative cities. 

Home County and the London Music Office welcomed Belfast-based singer-songwriters Niall McDowell and Ciara O’Neill to the 48th Home County Music & Art Festival. Representing fellow UNESCO City of Music Belfast, the artists performed mainstage sets and collaborated with festival musicians in workshop sessions.

Park Siyeon Trio talks about the 2024 UNESCO Cities of Music Jazz Relay. The traditional South Korean folk song connects 10 UNESCO Cities of Music travelling the world over sharing a message of peace and solidarity with the urgent message for climate action.

To celebrate International Jazz Day on April 30, 2024, UNESCO Cities of Music worldwide collaborated on a special video project showcasing talented local jazz musicians. This international partnership highlights jazz's cultural significance and strengthens connections between member cities through the universal language of music.

An exchange for the ages saw Londoner's Aaron & Aimee Allen travel to Belfast, N. Ireland to showcase at Belfast International Arts Festival to a sold out crowd. The doors into Belfast opened further when they performed on a live BBC broadcast. Belfast's Lord Mayor welcomed  the duo as they explored all that Belfast had to offer including co-writing sessions and showcase opportunities.  

Sarah MacDougall performed at the Brno Czech Music Marathon in Brno, showcasing her atmospheric sound to international audiences and representing Canadian talent on a global stage.

After joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, London artist, Saveria, was invited to showcase in Querétaro, Mexico, during a meeting of North American UNESCO Creative Cities. Saveria performed her first international show and wowed audiences during her solo performance. This was London' s first UNESCO Exchange and offered Saveria live performances opportunities including showcases and jam sessions while connecting her with international audiences.