The Standard Bank Jazz Festival runs for the full 10 days of the National Arts Festival and caters for a variety of jazz styles. The festival incorporates the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival for the first 6 days of the festival, which brings together 250 of the top young jazz musicians in the country (who audition to get into the National Youth and National Schools Jazz Bands), 35 jazz educators and 80 jazz performers from South Africa and around the world.

The intention of the festival is to develop South African jazz:

by providing educational opportunities for young players
by encouraging artistic integrity and creativity on the Main Stage
by creating a forum for South African musicians to network with peers from around the country and with foreign musicians
by providing audiences with interesting, quality jazz