Music lovers across Sandwell can look forward to dozens of free live performances this summer as the borough once again supports the Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival.

A total of 26 free gigs will take place across Sandwell during the festival's 42nd year, with events running from Friday 24 July to Sunday 2 August. Performances will be hosted at council-run libraries, museums, art galleries and visitor attractions, alongside a range of community and town centre venues.

The programme will get underway on Thursday 23 July, ahead of the festival's official opening, when the Honeyboy Hickling Blues Band performs at Wednesbury Library at 12.30pm.

Throughout the 10-day festival, live music will be staged at libraries in Blackheath, Oldbury's Bleakhouse Library, Cradley Heath, Great Barr, Great Bridge, Smethwick's Thimblemill Library and West Bromwich Central Library.

Additional venues include Dartmouth Central Club, Haden Hill House, Lightwoods House, Sandwell Valley Visitor Centre, Wednesbury Museum & Art Gallery and West Bromwich Indoor Market. Free performances will also take place at Bromwich Hall, New Square, Oak House and the Red Lion pub in West Bromwich.

Festival organiser Jim Simpson, whose Big Bear Music company has run the event for more than four decades, welcomed the council's continued support.

He said: "We are very grateful to Sandwell Council for backing the festival and look forward to welcoming everyone across the borough to jump, jive and enjoy the jazz and blues with us this summer."

The wider Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival will feature more than 170 performances at 98 venues across the region, with over 160 events offering free admission. Artists from across the UK will be joined by musicians from France, the United States, Estonia, Japan and Venezuela.

For full times, dates and venue details for all festival performances in Sandwell, visit Visit Sandwell's Jazz and Blues Festival page.