Go West really got started in 2009, and till now, the Norwegian jazz bands Excess Luggage and The Core have both gotten the opportunity to tour outside of “the musical highway” in China. The concert places are not fixed, each time the musicians travel to new cities. Through Go West, Norwegian jazz musicians visit China twice a year.
Go West sends jazz artists of note to universities, theatres and club venues in cities that rarely host cultural programming. Particularly through its university focus, Go West allows the students at institutes of higher learning to experience first-hand world-class live music. Not only that, it also adds an educational element with master’s classes and impromptu interactions with the visiting musicians.
Jon Campbell explains: “The Go West project is important, and it gives Norway a very good reputation. Far away from the big cities people have a good understanding about Norway, they actually know a lot about your country. In China Norway enjoys a reputation envied the world over, as a result of the long-term presence of, among other things, Norwegian cultural initiatives.”
“It is inevitable that other embassies will mimic these projects on a scale comparable to Norway, but as long as the project continues, Norway will remain the standard-setter and leader in the field,” Campbell says.