The bar Pr Gabrijelu (At Gabriel's) has long been a significant music venue in Cerkno, which has hosted many well-known music groups and performers. In 2003 the non-for-profit organisation Gabrijel Fest Cerkno, later renamed into Jazz Cerkno Institute (Zavod Jazz Cerkno) was established here as the organiser and producer of 'traditional events and non-traditional values'. Up to 2014 Jazz Cerkno was led by Boštjan Cvek (1964–2015), a co-founder and spiritus movens of the two festivals.
Jazz Cerkno organises the annual Jazz Cerkno Festival and Keltika International Festival, as well as collaborates with other significant jazz initiatives in Slovenia and Italy. The programme keeps a fine balance among different approaches and attitudes in jazz, improvised and experimental music, and presents also different uses of rock and rediscovered folk music.