- Bridging the professional development gap
www.mbf.org.uk

Professional musicians from all musical backgrounds; classical to rock, jazz to bhangra, are invited to apply for a new MBF Professional Development Award of up to £5000. The funding can be used for projects which will inspire musical creativity and develop skills, explore new creative directions or extend professional knowledge. These new awards are a response to research carried out by the MBF in 2006/7 where time and again musicians at all stages in their careers highlighted the lack of professional development opportunities open to primarily freelance performers and even those under long term contracts.

Jazz pianist, composer and broadcaster, Julian Joseph supports the need for the scheme saying, ‘it could make a palpable difference to a musician, band, collaborative project, tour or ‘music student’ not in education! This scheme will cater for musicians that often disappear in the cracks in terms of funding provision’.

Musicians who earn their living by performing, creating or teaching music are able to apply at any stage in their career after the first five years. Each project will be assessed by a specialist panel who will be looking for innovation, artistic integrity, and the potential benefits of the project for the applicant and possibly even the wider community. Projects could last from a few weeks to a year. The MBF is very grateful for the generous support of the Willis and Grace Grant Charitable Trust whose support has enabled the creation of these vital new awards. To apply visit the MBF’s website at www.mbf.org.uk and click on the Professional Development link.

For further information contact:
MBF Professional Development, 16 Ogle Street, London, W1W 6JA
Tel: 020 7299 8356, E-mail: inspire@mbf.org.uk