Awards opportunity for musicians and songwriters

These prestigious biennial awards, supported by the Arts Council’s National Lottery funds, aim to showcase and support the development of six exceptional musicians from Northern Ireland by providing funding awards, worth £5000 each, to three classical musicians, one jazz musician, one traditional musician and for the first time, one contemporary singer-songwriter.

This financial award enables recipients to develop their musical aspirations by spending a sizeable amount of time learning from a master musician, mentor, teacher or composer either in Northern Ireland or abroad.

In addition to this training opportunity, each recipient receives two professional radio broadcast engagements with BBC Northern Ireland, including one with the Ulster Orchestra, and four presenters from BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle will mentor the young awardees as well, follow their progress on their programmes and help them prepare for performances with the Ulster Orchestra for live broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster.

Applications will be assessed by a specialist panel and shortlisted applicants will then be invited to audition between December 1-3in Belfast, where they will be asked to perform two contrasting pieces in style and period, one of which will be contemporary.

Applications will close at 4pm on Thrsday, October 29.

For full eligibility and application details visit www.artscouncil-ni.org