Four UK artists announced for Jerwood Jazz Encounters Fellowship

Four jazz artists have been commissioned to create ground-breaking new ways to present jazz at Festivals across England: pianist Elliot Galvin, saxophonist Faye MacCalman, saxophonist Lara Jones and dynamic duo Witch ‘n’ Monk.

Each artist has been awarded a Jerwood Jazz Encounters Fellowship which will give them the chance to experiment with presenting jazz in unusual spaces and the digital realm. The 18-month programme will equip the artists with the skills and contacts they need to develop bold new work.

Each Fellowship includes R&D funding, in-depth mentoring, a two-day Creative Lab hosted by Birmingham City University and specialist support from digital partner The Space.

The artists have already started developing ideas for site-specific or digital works for presentation at some of the leading music festivals in Europe in 2021 to include Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Manchester Jazz Festival, Oxford Contemporary Music and Sage Gateshead.

Pianist and composer Elliot Galvin, who performed as part of our Virtual Jazz Festival said "I am fascinated by presenting music in new contexts and communicating work to audiences in new ways. This Fellowship will allow me to build on my creative ideas with the support and guidance of industry professionals to help me realise a new installation piece that is in dialogue with its environment, playing with context as much at content."

Jerwood Arts is the leading independent funder dedicated to supporting UK artists, curators and producers to develop and thrive. We enable transformative opportunities for individuals across art forms, supporting imaginative awards, bursaries, fellowships, projects, programmes and commissions.