Recipients of PRS Funding Announced

The recipients of PRS for Music funding in the Open fund and the Women Make Music strands have been announced this week and jazz is represented in each category.

There are 9 musicians in the Women Make Music category, including LCoM tutor Lauren Kinsella and LUME founder and saxophonist Dee Byrne. This funding is described as a way to support the development of outstanding women songwriters and composers of all genres and backgrounds at different stages of their career. The fund can support projects by women songwriters, composers, artists, bands and performers who are writing their own music.

Jazz in the North is well represented in the Open Fund for music creators with the inclusion of Beats & Pieces' Ben Cottrell. Byron Wallen and Yazz Ahmed are also featured in this list, receiving funding to create new original music.

A number of organisations received funding from PRS, too including the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, an annual festival that features a lot of improvised music. Swanage Jazz Festival also received funding.

To find out more about the funds and to read the full list of recipients, visit the PRS website.

PRS Open Funding and Women Make Music - September 28th Deadlines

There are two funding programmes through PRSF that will close for submissions on September 28th so ensembles and composers are advised to get their application in soon for a chance at financial support for an upcoming project.

Women Make Music is a scheme open to female music creators in any genre and will award up to £5000 to a project. Their aim is to raise the profile of female composers and musicians in the industry and support the creation of new work and collaborations. They wish to break down gender stereotypes and support female role models for future generations.

Deadline: Monday September 28th 

PRSF's Open Funding scheme is, as the name suggests, open to individuals and composers creating new work in any genre. This could the commission of new work, touring, recording or creative residencies for example. Again, up to £5000 is available for a project (those who have previously been successful in receiving PRSF funding are able to apply for larger amounts of money).

Deadline: Monday September 28th

Both of these schemes have two stage application processes - those successful at the first stage will be invited to progress to stage two.

Full information on eligibity criteria, previously funded projects and access to the application forms can be found on the PRSF website. Best of luck!

Women Make Music at Jazz North East

Jazz North East are presenting a special programme this season dedicated to contemporary Women in Jazz and Free Improvisational Composition.

The concert series was made possible through a grant from the PRSF Women Make Music scheme and will run until July. Laura Jurd's Human Spirit group featuring Lauren Kinsella opened the series on January 27th at the Black Swan.

The Jazz North East website gives full details of the gigs and venues, as well as details of the other gigs happening throughout the year.

Upcoming Gigs:

Thursday February 12th - Zoe Rahman (solo piano) + afternoon workshop
Sunday March 8th - Beatrix Ward-Fernandez Trio/Watching Sideways + afternoon workshop
Saturday April 11th - Zoe Gilby 'Pannonica' Quartet/Alice Zawadski Quintet + afternoon workshop
Sunday April 12th - Sloth Racket/Mussen-Kjaer-Marshall Trio + afternoon workshop
Thursday May 7th - Linda Sharrock
Thursday May 21st - Sarah Gail Brand/Mark Sanders Duo & Faye MacCalman Quartet
Saturday June 27th - Lindsay Hannon Plus & Jam Session
Monday July 6th - Mette Rasmussen/Chris Carsano Duo