New Northern is Jazz North’s promoter bursary to support live emerging talent. It supports promoters to programme emerging northern artists by underwriting risk and helping pay essential costs.
Designed both to support emerging artists in the north and give an injection of cash to promoters who need it, this easy-access scheme offers a quick intervention to northern grassroots promoters facing difficult financial circumstances.
Chris Bye, Jazz North CEO, says:
"Jazz North is excited to once again throw open the doors of the New Northern programme, continuing a proud tradition of support for the region’s incredible jazz promoters.
The landscape continues to present extremely challenging circumstances for the sector and with New Northern, Jazz North is able to provide backing to the vital people who facilitate our local scenes, promote new talent and make up essential components of the northern night time economy."
Last year, Jazz North awarded 7 bursaries to North West Music Academy, Big Bands @ The Continental, Yardfest @ Caroline Street Social Club, Offshoots, Scarborough Jazz, DJ Lubi and New Jazz and Improvised recordings.
With help from this small bursary, the promoters delivered remarkable work across the north:
“New Northern is a fantastic new endeavour from Jazz North providing high quality support for organisations to follow through with their unique and individual creative visions. This support has helped us to continue running the New Jazz and Improvised Music Recordings project in releasing material by relatively unknown artists whilst also supporting a live concert in co-promotion with Jazz North East.”
Wesley Stephenson, New Jazz & Improvised Recordings
“New Northern is a fantastic scheme that gave me the chance to reach out to a wider range of artists. We were able to present a month of emerging artists which we couldn't have done without the support from Jazz North. We were all delighted with the results.”
Nanette Brimble, YardFest Saltaire
New Northern is open for applications until midday on Friday 1st August 2025.
Interested applicants can sign up to an ‘Applying to New Northern’ workshop on Thursday 17th July, 4.30-5.30PM
