Sydney jazz establishment Foundry616 has announced that it will close its doors “with great sadness and regret”. It was one of the last remaining dedicated jazz venues in the city.

A message from owners Peter and Elizabeth Rechniewski went out in a Facebook post on Monday night: “Despite considerable effort, Foundry616 has struggled to cope effectively in the very challenging post-Covid trading environment.”

Foundry616. Photo courtesy of Foundry616

Since opening, Foundry616 has presented almost all of Sydney’s leading jazz musicians and many promising ones whose careers were about to blossom. We were also unique in bringing to Sydney many musicians from interstate and overseas.”

Foundry616 has long been the hub of the Sydney jazz scene, hosting international, Australian and tribute acts over the course of its history. Artists including pianists Mike Nock, saxophonists Dale Barlow and Sandy Evans, trumpeter James Morrison, Grammy-winning vocalist Gaby Moreno and groups including The Catholics and Ten Part Invention have graced the Foundry stage. It was also a performance space for many emerging Sydney and interstate jazz musicians.

From its establishment in 2013 until 2019, Foundry616 was the principal venue for the Sydney International...