Written by Jazz North, the Strategic Development Agency for jazz in the North of England, has announced a new round of its New Northern bursary scheme. The program aims to support grassroots and independent jazz promoters across the region by offering bursaries of up to £1,000.
The New Northern initiative is designed to assist promoters in programming emerging northern jazz artists by underwriting risk and helping cover essential costs. This latest round of funding comes at a time when many promoters are facing challenging financial circumstances, making it an important lifeline for the northern jazz scene.
Chris Bye, CEO of Jazz North, emphasized the crucial role promoters play in the jazz ecosystem: “Promoters are the beating heart of local jazz scenes. With this next round of New Northern, Jazz North continues a long tradition of support for our regional promoters and programmers.” Bye added, “Jazz North is proud to support those bringing through the next wave of talent and who remain essential to the northern jazz ecology.”
The scheme is open to promoters across the North of England, with applications being accepted until midday on Monday, September 2nd. To assist potential applicants, Jazz North is offering an ‘Applying to New Northern’ workshop on Tuesday, August 6th, from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM. Those unable to attend can request a video recording of the session.
This latest round of bursaries builds on the success of previous iterations of the New Northern scheme. In the last round, Jazz North awarded ten £500 bursaries to promoters across various northern cities, including Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Brampton, Halifax, and Leeds.
The impact of these bursaries has been significant, as evidenced by feedback from previous recipients. One such beneficiary was Parr Jazz, which used the funding to launch Mutant Jazz, a new event series in Liverpool. The organizers reported, “The first Mutant Jazz event was supported by Jazz North and has established a vibrant new event brand supporting diverse jazz artists and building an inclusive, ticket-buying audience. […] All the events sold out and have become a sustainable and talked-about regular feature of the Liverpool and Northern jazz scene.”
Another recipient, Ni Maxine of the Wombat Jazz Club, highlighted the broader benefits of the scheme beyond financial support: “As an early-career promoter with artist experience at the heart, producing grassroots events, receiving this support not only gave us the confidence that we were doing something right, but also opened us up to new audiences and a network of similar promoters, which has been really insightful.”
Previous recipient, Parr Jazz, run New Northern supported event Mutant Jazz at Metrocola in September 2023 | Image Credit: Milli florintein
The New Northern bursary scheme is part of Jazz North’s broader mission to develop and support the jazz scene in the North of England. Since its inception in 2012, the organization has been supported by Arts Council England and has built a national and international reputation in Artist Development, Sector Support, and Learning & Participation.
Over the years, Jazz North has worked with hundreds of artists, managers, venues, festivals, and promoters, contributing significantly to the growth and sustainability of the northern jazz scene. As a registered charity, its efforts have been particularly focused on nurturing emerging talent and supporting the grassroots infrastructure that is vital for the genre’s continued evolution.
The launch of this new round of bursaries comes at a critical time for the jazz industry, which, like many sectors of the music industry, has faced significant challenges in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic had a particularly severe impact on live music venues and promoters, with many struggling to survive extended periods of closure and reduced capacities.
In this context, initiatives like New Northern play a crucial role in helping to rebuild and strengthen the jazz ecosystem. By providing financial support to promoters, the scheme not only helps to ensure the survival of existing venues and events but also encourages the development of new platforms for emerging artists.
The focus on emerging northern artists is particularly noteworthy, as it helps to create a sustainable pipeline of talent within the region. By supporting promoters who are willing to take risks on up-and-coming acts, Jazz North is helping to create more opportunities for young musicians and contributing to the long-term health of the northern jazz scene.
Promoters interested in applying for the New Northern bursary can find more information at the Jazz North website and application details here. With the deadline set for September 2nd, potential applicants are encouraged to act quickly to take advantage of this opportunity.
Last modified: August 14, 2024
