Bohuslän Big Band is awarded 2 million kronor from the Stena Foundation

With this support, the door is opened to unique musical encounters and productions of the highest international standard. The productions will go on tour in Sweden, with concerts in Gothenburg, Vara, and other locations. Two of the projects will also be documented through professional album recordings, allowing the music to reach audiences both nationally and internationally. The aim is to strengthen the artistic development of Bohuslän Big Band and contribute to an even more vibrant jazz scene in West Sweden. The project will start in 2027 and run for three years.

“This is incredible news! The contribution from the Stena Foundation, combined with the fact that Bohuslän Big Band has just been nominated for a Grammy, gives us fantastic opportunities to create exclusive productions that both raise the artistic level of the big band and strengthen the Västra Götaland Region’s position on the global jazz scene. I’m really looking forward to the journey ahead of us,” says Eric Brandström Arellano, head of programming and planning for Bohuslän Big Band.

A boost for the West Swedish music scene and the big band’s artistic profile

Preparations for the project will begin in 2026. Over the following three years, four large-scale productions are planned, featuring new arrangements, international guests, and in-depth musical development work.

“For a long time, Bohuslän Big Band has played an important role in developing and highlighting the music scene in western Sweden,” says Madeleine Olsson Eriksson, Chair of the Stena Foundation. “With this support, we want to give the band the conditions to realize new international collaborations and to continue developing its artistic excellence.”

About the Stena Foundation

The Sten A Olsson Foundation for Research and Culture was founded in 1996 with the aim of supporting science, art, culture and the humanities, primarily in Gothenburg and West Sweden. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded over 600 million SEK to cultural and research projects and is today one of the region’s most important financiers of artistic development.