Composer-Curator - Sound and Music

Applications for Composer-Curator are now closed.

Are you a composer or music-creator based in or with a meaningful connection to Hull or Sunderland or the surrounding regions?

Composer-Curator supports outstanding projects across the UK that are curated and produced by composers, music-creators and collectives from any background. Whether you are trained in music or self-taught, have many years of experience or consider yourself ‘emerging’ - we want to hear from you!

The type of project you might produce could take any form - from outdoor performances to DIY gigs, orchestral concerts to club nights, gallery installations to live streams, and even panel discussions and workshops. Projects can be presented in any genre including jazz, electronic, grime, folk, non-western music, contemporary classical, in fact just about any form of experimental new sound and music.

We are particularly interested in projects that place audiences and communities at the heart of the work and that engage them in new and exciting ways. For example by exploring different sites, spaces and methods of presentation - whether that be online, live (when possible) or a hybrid of both.

How does it work?

In line with our commitment to ensuring that more people can access new music locally and to support the development of cultural communities across the UK, the 2022 Composer-Curator programme will continue in partnership with Back to Ours and Sunderland Culture to support composers, music-creators and collectives who have a meaningful connection to Hull, Sunderland or surrounding regions, to produce new musical projects for their communities. You can read more about our partners here.

You don't necessarily need to live or be based in these cities, although that would be brilliant. We are looking to support people who have some connections to these places and surrounding regions; people who understand these cities, their current scenes and their audiences.

We believe this is essential to this programme’s success.

What Composer-Curator offers:

A contribution to project costs (up to £4000 depending on project needs)
Skills development sessions, workshops and mentoring from leading professionals that will be shaped around your interests
Practical support and guidance on fundraising, marketing, budgeting, audience engagement, data collection, reporting and evaluation, venue sourcing and event production led by Sound and Music
Focussed regional and expert support including local audience and media insight, networking and contact building from Back to Ours and Sunderland Culture.
Expert mentoring sessions provided by Lisa Meyer, Artistic Director at Supersonic Festival.
Opportunities to have your work featured on Sound and Music, Back to Ours and Sunderland Culture’s social media channels, e-communications and platforms including the British Music Collection and The Sampler

Selected participants will spend an initial period refining their projects with the support of the Sound and Music team, before moving on to a production phase, culminating in two or more public events.