Local Jazz as inherent part of the program of the International Jazz Festival.

The award addresses musicians playing contemporary jazz who either live in Westphalia, were born in Westphalia, or have evidently spent a significant part of their life in Westphalia. An expert jury selects the winner in a nominating procedure.

The prize comprises a concert series in three parts for the winner (either solo or with a group), starting with the International Jazz Festival in Münster. Two more gigs take place in the two jazz clubs, domicil Dortmund and Bunker Ulmenwall Bielefeld.

In 2013, the trumpet player Frederik Köster was awarded. "With his unique sound, compositional imagination, and unbridled delight in improvisation, he succeeds masterly in combining diversity and clarity" the jury explains their decision.

Winners of the Westphalia Jazz Award since 1994:

• Trio Griener/Schweitzer/Sudmann (1994)*
• Axel Zinowsky Quartett (1994)*
• Lutz Potthoff Trio feat. Andreas Wahl (1994)*
• Quintessence Saxophon Quintett (1997)**
• Duo Songlines: Sebastian Altekamp/Wolfgang Bleibel (1999)**
• Sieben (2001)**
• Alien Drum and Bass Foundation (2003)**
• Die Konferenz (2005)**
• Pablo Held (2009)***
• Barbara Buchholz (2011)***
• Frederik Köster (2013)***
• Michael Schiefel (2015)***
• Eva Klesse (2017)***
• Florian Walter (2019)

selected i. a. by the following members of the jury:

Werner Wunderlich (Südwestfunk), Dr. Eva Küllmer (WDR / Netzwerk Jazz und improvisierte Musik), Uli Beckerhoff (Jazzmusiker), Markus Müller (Jazzthetik), Michael Klein (Programmschreiber Jazzfestival Münster / Journalist), Frank Schraven (Ex-Chefredakteur Jazzthetik), Manfred Wex (Veranstalter Jazz im Kunstverein / Musiker), Fritz Schmücker (Jazzfestival Münster), Claus Gnichwitz (WDR / HR), Michael Neumann (Münstersche Zeitung), Joachim Weis (Jazzthetik), Dr. Bernd Hoffmann (WDR Köln), Karsten Mützelfeldt (freier Journalist / WDR), Lars Motel (Fachbereichsleiter Jazz), Kornelia Vossebein (Programmchefin Bunker Ulmenwall, Bielefeld), Waldo Riedl (ProgrammchefJazzclub Domicil Dortmund), Carsten Nolte (Bunker Ulmenwall)

_{* Prize donator: Spedition Laarmann (namely Raimund Unkhoff) and the Gesellschaft zur Förderung der westfälischen Kulturarbeit e.V.
** Prize donator: Spedition Laarmann (namely Raimund Unkhoff)
*** Prize donator: Imorde Projekt- und Kulturberatung GmbH (namely Jens Imorde)}