Written by The landscape for live jazz in the North of England is Continuously evolving, shaped by economic pressures, shifting audience habits, and the persistent need for new talent to find platforms. In this context, Jazz North’s New Northern bursary scheme has emerged as a targeted response to some of the sector’s most pressing challenges, aiming to support both grassroots promoters and emerging artists in the region.
Jazz North, established in 2012 as the Strategic Development Agency for jazz in the North of England, has long been involved in artist development, sector support, and participation initiatives. The New Northern scheme, now open for its latest round of applications, is designed to address a specific issue: the financial risk and cost barriers that grassroots and independent promoters face when programming live jazz events featuring emerging northern artists.
Image: Juliana Day and Manon McCoy Photo credit: Benji Wilson (promoter Wesley Stephenson)
The bursary offers up to £1,000 per applicant, with the explicit goal of underwriting some of the costs associated with live performance. This includes artist fees and other essential expenses that can be difficult for small-scale promoters to cover, especially in a challenging economic climate.
According to Jazz North CEO Chris Bye, the scheme is intended as a “quick intervention” for promoters who may be facing difficult financial circumstances. Bye describes the New Northern programme as a way to provide backing to the “vital people who facilitate our local scenes, promote new talent and make up essential components of the northern night time economy.”
Promoters play a central role in the jazz ecosystem. They are often responsible for curating line-ups, booking venues, and taking on the financial risk of presenting live music. For emerging artists, especially those based outside major metropolitan centres, these promoters can be the gatekeepers to broader audiences and career development opportunities.
However, the economics of live jazz remain precarious. Smaller venues and independent promoters often operate on tight margins, and the risk of programming lesser-known artists can be prohibitive. The New Northern bursary seeks to mitigate some of these risks, enabling promoters to take chances on emerging talent without jeopardising their own sustainability.
In the previous year, Jazz North awarded seven bursaries to a diverse range of promoters and projects across the North of England. These included North West Music Academy, Big Bands @ The Continental, Yardfest @ Caroline Street Social Club, Offshoots, Scarborough Jazz, DJ Lubi, and New Jazz and Improvised Recordings.
Each recipient used the funding to support live events or recording projects that highlighted emerging northern artists. For example, the New Jazz and Improvised Music Recordings project was able to continue releasing material by relatively unknown artists and to stage a live concert in partnership with Jazz North East.
Wesley Stephenson, who leads the New Jazz & Improvised Recordings project, described the impact of the bursary: “This support has helped us to continue running the New Jazz and Improvised Music Recordings project in releasing material by relatively unknown artists whilst also supporting a live concert in co-promotion with Jazz North East.”
Similarly, Nanette Brimble of YardFest Saltaire noted that the scheme allowed her to present a month of performances by emerging artists, an initiative that would not have been possible without the additional support.
The New Northern bursary is positioned as an “easy-access” scheme. The application process is designed to be straightforward, with a deadline set for midday on Friday, 1st August 2025. Jazz North is offering an online workshop to guide prospective applicants through the process, and a video recording of the session is available for those unable to attend live.
Interested promoters can find more information and apply via the Jazz North website. The organization encourages applications from a broad range of promoters, including those working in non-traditional venues or with limited experience in funding applications.
The launch of the latest New Northern round comes at a time of continued uncertainty for live music. The ongoing effects of the pandemic, rising costs, and changes in audience behaviour have all placed additional strain on the sector. For jazz, which often relies on small venues and dedicated but niche audiences, these challenges can be particularly acute.
YardFest Jazz night in Saltaire, Bradford (promoter Nanette Brimble)
Jazz North’s intervention reflects a recognition that supporting promoters is as important as supporting artists. Without promoters willing and able to take risks on new talent, the pipeline for emerging artists can quickly narrow, limiting opportunities for both musicians and audiences.
Jazz North’s work extends beyond the New Northern scheme. Since its inception, the organisation has supported hundreds of artists, managers, venues, festivals, and promoters. Its initiatives have included artist development programmes, sector support, and educational activities aimed at fostering participation and engagement with jazz.
The New Northern bursary is one strand of this broader strategy, focused specifically on the intersection of promoter support and artist development. By underwriting the costs associated with presenting live music, Jazz North hopes to maintain a vibrant and diverse jazz scene in the North, even in the face of economic headwinds. Feedback from previous bursary recipients suggests that the scheme is meeting a real need. For many grassroots promoters, even modest financial support can make the difference between programming a new artist or playing it safe with established acts.
The scheme also appears to have a ripple effect, supporting not just individual events but also longer-term projects and collaborations. For example, the partnership between New Jazz & Improvised Recordings and Jazz North East enabled the staging of a live concert and the release of new recordings, providing multiple platforms for emerging artists.
The scheme’s emphasis on accessibility and quick intervention reflects an understanding of the pressures facing grassroots promoters. By reducing financial barriers and sharing risk, Jazz North aims to enable more promoters to take chances on new artists, thereby enriching the region’s musical landscape.
Promoters interested in applying for the New Northern bursary can find full details on the Jazz North website. The application deadline is midday on Friday, 1st August 2025. A workshop for applicants will be held on Thursday, 17th July, with a recording available for those who cannot attend.
For further information, prospective applicants can contact Helena Summerfield, Programme Manager at Jazz North, via their website.
Last modified: June 30, 2025
