Grants and funding opportunities available for jazz musicians, promoters and projects

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We are funded by Arts Council England North West (ACENW) to develop the infrastructure for jazz in the north west. This funding only covers the running of our organisation and its expenses, so we are not in a position to directly offer any of this funding to musicians or promoters as grants for your activity. We have to apply to ACE for extra funding in order to carry out any specific projects, through their main scheme called 'Grants for the Arts' (GFA).   

The amount of funding allocated to jazz projects is small when compared to other art-forms, as is the number of applications which funders receive from the jazz community. The amount of 'hoop-jumping' that is necessary in order to access funds can be a frustrating barrier, and many funding schemes are directed at certain specialised activities - e.g. composing new work or organising a tour – rather than straightforward gigs. Funding bodies will usually want to support projects that are different or new to your 'everyday' pattern of work.

Funders need to be convinced about your track record, the quality of your proposed work, and how exciting, viable and crucial it is, in order to invest in it. It is also imperative that your project hasn't already started before you make the application.

Organisations offering grants or funding for musicians or promoters are listed on this site. Again, please note that we are not affiliated with any of them, and hold no sway over any of their decisions. Remember to check the deadlines of each scheme, what they do and don't support, and what their current priorities are – these do change.

Please note that at present the Musicians' Union do not offer funding support for musicians or promoters, including its members; the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation at present is not offering grants for individuals, and is concentrating on the visual arts until 2008.

Other organisations that may be of interest can be found by clicking the link to 'Other useful organisations' at the bottom of the page. They are not all grant-giving bodies, but may be able to provide helpful information.

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