Avant Atlas

Where this music actually happens

A weighted, evidence-backed directory of 263 venues in 134 cities and 24 countries that genuinely present free jazz, free improvisation and avant-garde music — and the 185 musicians keeping them alive. Every score is explainable, and arguable.

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Cornerstone (61)Committed (118)Supportive (75)Occasional (8)Incidental (1)

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98 Cornerstone Ftarri

Tokyo, Japan · dedicated space · artist-run · confidence 0.85 · active this year

96 Cornerstone KM28

Berlin, Germany · dedicated space · artist-run · confidence 0.85 · active this year

Browse by country

United States164 venuesGermany17 venuesJapan12 venuesUnited Kingdom12 venuesNetherlands7 venuesFrance5 venuesSwitzerland5 venuesAustria5 venuesNorway5 venuesSweden4 venuesPortugal4 venuesPoland3 venues

All 24 countries and 134 cities →

What the score means

Most venue lists flatten everything together: the artist-run loft that programs improvised music six nights a week sits next to the tourist bar that books a trad quartet on Sundays. The Atlas tells them apart with seven weighted signals and keeps the evidence attached, so you can see — and argue with — why a room is rated the way it is. Read the rubric →