Your guide to thePeter WhittinghamJazz Award

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If you have any questions about the support we can offer, want to talk through your plans, or are looking for advice about the application process, you can book some time to talk it through with one of the team here.

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What is the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award? How can the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award Support You?Eligibility Ineligible ActivitiesMaking an Application

Contents

The Peter Whittingham Jazz Award has been supporting early career jazz musicians for over 30 years. It supports exciting emerging jazz musicians with £5,000 towards their music and career plans.

Over the years, the Award has become an influential accreditation recognised across the scene and has previously supported the likes of: Xhosa Cole, Soweto Kinch, Errollyn Wallen MBE, Dave O’Higgins, Gwilym Simcock and Roller Trio and more.

Peter Whittingham was a distinguished scientist, an expert in survival medicine and a keen amateur pianist, with a love for the music of George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Leonard Bernstein and Oscar Peterson. Following his death in 1987, his family set up a charitable trust in his memory to provide an annual music award aimed at encouraging composition and performance of popular music.

What is the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award?

The Peter Whittingham Jazz Awardee will receive 1 full day business advice and £5,000 in financial support towards their work; this could be used for recording new material, a period of mentoring, promotional activity and much more.

The award can cover:

Recording

Filming

One-off live performances (providing this is following government guidelines and supported with a clear contingency plan should government guidelines change)

Online streamed performances

Mentoring

Collaboration

Promotion

Applications that incorporate a range of activities are strongly encouraged.

An additional £5,000 is distributed between applicants who demonstrate potential to make an impact in the jazz scene and will receive half a day of business advice each.

How can the Peter Whittingham Award support you?

This support is for emerging or early career jazz musicians or groups.

To apply you must:

Already have an active career and be able to clearly demonstrate your work to date

Deliver your supported activities within 12 months of accepting the Award

Be aged 18 or over

Be in financial need and without significant backing (by this we mean not receiving significant financial backing from a record label, publisher or private investor and not having over £16,000 in savings)

Be resident in the UK at the time of applying*

*We refer to the UK residency rules noting that you are eligible for our support:

If you are a UK National living in the UK you automatically qualify

If you are a non-UK National, you must have been living in the UK for at least 183 days and have the legal right to live in the UK

If applying as a group:

50% of members must meet the above eligibility criteria

The group must have been established for at least 1 year

The group should be made up of no more than 8 members

Eligibility

Please read this section thoroughly as applications relating to the below will be deemed ineligible:

Applications relating to loss of income as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak

Applicants who have previously been supported through Peter Whittingham Jazz Award

Activities that are not primarily music-based

Touring (irrespective of how far into the future multiple-performance dates are planned)

Formal courses of study, training or research (including undergraduate study,postgraduate study, year-long courses, costs associated with PhD study)

Regular 1-1 lessons

Purchase of equipment (including instruments, technical kit and vehicles)

Costs associated with entering into competitions

Activities that have already occurred

Attendance at showcases already supported by the PRS for Music FoundationInternational Showcase Fund or similar funding opportunities in the nations (SXSW CMJ, A3C, Womex, Reeperbahn, Folk Alliance International, MIDEM Canadian Music Week)

Work already financially supported by Help Musicians, or development activity

already funded through our network of partners

Ineligible Activies

Deadline: Monday 18th October, 9am.

To make an application you will need to have an account on our new application portal. Register & Apply here. You can find guidance on navigating the application portal here, including information on how to update your registration and banking details within your profile and how to create and submit your application. If you have any further questions when making an application via the application portal, please contact us at creative@helpmusicians.org.uk.

What are we looking for in the application?

Biography

We’re looking to understand your career in performing or creating music so far. Show us your achievements and career highlights, share what you’re proud of. Bear in mind that we won’t know you or your music, so the clearer you can be and the more examples you can give us the better! This can include performances, collaborations, tours, festivals, showcases, commissions, recent releases, reviews (inc. press quotes & radio play), evidence of your growing fanbase (mailing list subscribers, social media followers) and prizes or awards. Remember to share links to any websites or socials you want us to see.

Your Activity

The details of the work you’re applying for financial support towards. Remember to include a timeline and double-check that it’s achievable.

Impact

Our support is here to help you take the next step, so we’re looking to understand why this activity is crucial for your career at this point. Help us to understand what you are trying to achieve in the short and long-term through the activity and how it will benefit your progression as a music creator.

Budget

We know a budget can be tricky but it’s also incredibly useful for focusing and understanding your plans. Try to think about the costs associated with each activity in the project. Make it clear where you require financial assistance from Help Musicians, as well as elements that may be supported by other organisations or yourself.

You can find more detailed guidance and support for each question within the application form. If you have any questions about the support we can offer, want to talk through your plans, or are looking for advice about the application process, book some time to talk it through with one of the Creative team here.

You can also sign up for a group application tips session on Thursday 9 September or, Thursday 7 October here.

Making an Application:Stage One - Application

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an artist development day at Premises Studios in East London on Tuesday 16 November. This will involve an opportunity to perform in front of a panel of jazz experts as well the chance to participate in a business development session and find out more around managaing your Health & Wellbeing with an introduction into the wider support available from Help Musicians.

Further information will be communicated to those successfully shortlisted by the end of October, but please hold this date in your diary.

Making an Application:Stage Two - Artist Development Day

Please note: If applying after a break or a change in circumstance we will take into consideration your past achievements, but you will also need to demonstrate that you are committed to reinvigorating and sustaining your career as a music creator.

You will receive a confirmation email once you submit your application form. If you haven’t received this, please email creative@helpmusicians.org.uk and we can check for you.

All applicants will be notified about outcomes by late November.

After Applying