After last year’s hugely successful nationwide call for new sonic works celebrating queer histories, stories and sounds we are delighted to announce the LGBTQ+ Composers Open Call 2022.

Here at Sound and Music and particularly on the British Music Collection, we feel it is important to capture moments in our history; to create space to reflect on music-making now, to celebrate individual voices and to address the underrepresentation of LGBTQ+ composers working across the UK and a range of backgrounds, styles and genres.

One of the ways we hope to amplify and celebrate LGBTQ+ composers, music-creators and sound artists is through a paid opportunity for LGBTQ+ composers - supporting them to create new digital works and present them on the British Music Collection online platform. 

Our aim is to increase number of LGBTQ+ composers and music creators represented in the collection and to make this online space a safe, more diverse and relevant place to discover new music.

This opportunity continues our partnership with the LGBTQ+ Music Study Group as part of a 2nd series celebrating LGBTQ+ History Month 2022, a month-long celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, nonbinary and queer lives, culture, history and activism.  

The opportunity

2 x £500 grants for new sonic works

Deadline for applications Sunday 13^th March, 11:59pm, GMT.

These new digital works will be hosted uniquely on the British Music Collection online platform and shared via our social channels and newsletters.

What are we looking for?

The theme for LGBTQ+ History Month is ‘Politics in Art’ but the brief for this call is  intentionally open and not tied to any specific themes. We want to support LGBTQ+ composers and music-creators to make the works they wish and feel need to be heard by audiences on the British Music Collection.

These works can be created either alone or with collaborators of your choosing (this could be another composer, a musician, visual artist, filmmaker, animator or writer etc.

We are looking for 1-5 minute musical or sonic responses. If you would like to produce a longer work, you are welcome but please note that Sound and Music is keen to ensure everyone is paid fairly and properly for their time and work so please bear this in mind.

The named applicant must be based in the UK and not currently participating in a Sound and Music programme (such as New Voices, Composer-Curator or Adopt a Music Creator).

Read more about the 2021 open call here, and listen to each of the works from previous grant winners Ellie Showering, Lunatraktors, Precious Oni, and Ruari Paterson-Achenbach & Sophie-Marie Niang.

How to apply?

Apply here: https://airtable.com/shrqtOrXPeDdtFVrS

To apply you will need to provide:

• You email address (so that we can get in touch with you).
• 250 words or 2 minute audio/video about your idea for the work.
• 250 words or 2 minute audio/video about your practice and experience as LGBTQ+ composer (if applicable).
• Links or examples of your previous musical works
• You will also be asked to complete an equal opportunities monitoring form.

Please note that the video does not need to be you talking to camera.  

Please apply in whichever way suits your individual needs.  

If you have a question, please contact Heather Blair, Creative Project Leader – heather.blair@soundandmusic.org 

All applicants will hear back from us by Friday 22^nd April.

Selection process

A panel including Sound and Music staff and members of the LGBTQ+ Music Study Group committee will select the two successful applicants. 

Sound and Music is committed to equality, inclusivity and diversity across all our programmes.  

For this call we would like to hear from  LGBTQ+ applicants but actively encourage proposals from people who are also D/deaf, disabled, neurodiverse or with long-term health conditions, those from low-income or ethnically diverse backgrounds, and those who feel they have had less access to opportunity or who have experienced barriers or discrimination due to a protected or other characteristic.  

You can find out more about our commitment to creating open and inclusive opportunities by reading our Fair Access Principles. 

If you have any questions or would like this document in another format, please contact Alex Noble, Executive Administrator: Alex.noble@soundandmusic.org