Manchester Jazz Festival have three Talent Development opportunities now open for applications until Tuesday 31st August.
1. mjf soundcheck is for 18-25 year olds, who are based in Greater Manchester. The 8 week programme is an opportunity to explore jazz, improvisation maybe for the first time and take risks with music in a supportive environment. Participants are linked with mentors from the mjf hothouse cohort, introduced to industry professionals and work on a new piece of music, culminating in a showcase performance. Prior knowledge or experience in jazz is not essential and we are actively encouraging applicants who don't have formal education in jazz or music. The link to find out more and apply is here: https://bit.ly/2U7HJXH
2. mjf hothouse is for Northern based artists working in improvisation and jazz. It is a 6 month paid opportunity and it is reactive to the needs of the artists on the programme. We support artists with 1:1 sessions with an industry mentor, up to £2,300 to create new music and pay the musicians they are working with, personalised workshops and more, all working towards an industry showcase performance. A key focus of mjf hothouse is supporting artists to identify and overcome barriers that they are facing and to diversify the artist base making new jazz and improvised music. Applicants must be aged 18 (there is no upper age limit), based in the North of England and already be making music professionally. The link to find out more and apply is: https://bit.ly/3yX2R1J
3. mjf originals is our commissioning programme. The brief is intentionally open and artists can apply with any kind of idea they have, so long as it aligns with our values. In this round we are particularly interested in ideas that could be taken to the 2022 festival as installations, or engage festival audiences in a surprising or inclusive music-making experience. mjf originals is open to artists in England, and we would expect them to be at a stage in their career where they are ready for a commission. The link to apply is here: https://bit.ly/3rJGJ8H
