This year for the first time the jazz festival will host many of the main performances within the walls of the Cathedral Ruins. A state of the art marquee will be erected with a bar and seating for up to 400. The ruins of St Michael's are the consequence of the Luftwaffe bombing that occurred on the night of 14 November 1940.
The Cross of Nails at the far end has become the symbol of Coventry's international ministry of reconciliation. The ruins are a cherished part of Coventry’s heritage and this summer they will host not only the HSBC Bank Coventry Jazz Festival but also the Mysteries 2006 - a contemporary retelling of the bible stories and Shakespeare’s Midsummer’s Nights Dream.
Coventry Cathedral was designed by Sir Basil Spence and the foundation stone was laid by HM The Queen on 23 March 1956. In keeping with tradition, the cathedral was to be filled with art from the leading artists of the time. Graham Sutherland's tapestry of Christ in Glory in the Tetramorph dominates the East End of the cathedral, whilst John Hutton's screen of Saints and Angels allows the spirit of the Ruins to pervade the new cathedral. Coloured light streams through John Piper's Baptistry window and Epstein's St Michael and the Devil guards the cathedral steps. Other contributors include Elizabeth Frink and Ralph Beyer. The New Cathedral was consecrated on 25 May 1962, in the presence of HM The Queen.
Priory Place is the perfect outdoor area to eat, drink and relax whilst listening to fantastic live jazz. This lively eating and drinking space has fantastic views over Holy Trinity Church, the old Blue Coats School and Priory Gardens. In the foreground the stunning water-feature designed by Susanna Heron adds to the relaxing continental atmosphere.
One of the finest medieval guildhalls in England, it stands on the other side of Bayley Lane from the ruins of Coventry Cathedral and has stood at the heart of Coventry since the 1340s.
The Herbert is at the cultural heart of Coventry with an art gallery and museum, creative media studios, an arts information centre and a history centre for the city's archives. The jazz performances will take place in the café which is located next to the entrance of the Herbert and is surrounded by glass, creating a light and airy room with a contemporary feel. The café serves an excellent selection of healthy meals.
Following on from the success of the Tin Angel in medieval Spon Street, Taylor John’s House will be a café-bar with a strong live music pedigree. The new venue at Coventry Canal Basin is set in two 19th century vaults that were once used for coal storage.
Warwick Arts Centre in Coventry is the largest arts centre in the Midlands, attracting around 280,000 visitors a year to over 2,000 individual events embracing music, drama, dance, comedy, literature, films and visual art.
Warwick Arts Centre is situated at the heart of The University of Warwick in Coventry and is much more than a single venue. With six outstanding spaces on the same site, it is quite unique – with a concert hall, two theatres, a cinema, gallery, conference room as well as hospitality suites, restaurant, bookshop, gift shop and two bars.