We’re excited to announce that we’re commissioning new content celebrating Black composers and music creators, through a joint open call with the British Music Collection.

Today Sound and Music launched a new open call, seeking to support and celebrate Black composers, artists, music creators and collectives from the African and Caribbean diaspora based in the UK. We are particularly interested in receiving proposals from Black Women and Black non-binary composers, to create new works as part of our third series celebrating Black histories, sounds, and stories.

At Minute of Listening and particularly on the British Music Collection, we feel it is important to capture moments in our history; to create a space to reflect, to celebrate individual voices, and to address the under-representation of Black composers and their works.


The opportunity:

Black and the British Music Collection 2 x £500 grants for new sonic works.

These new works will be hosted uniquely on the British Music Collection website and featured as part of Minute of Listening (in full or as an extract), introducing children and young people to new musical creators, inspiration, and a wider listening experiences.

These works will also be shared widely via our social channels and newsletters.

The brief for this project is intentionally open and isn’t tied to any specific themes, as we want to support Black composers to make the works they wish and feel need to be heard. Previous projects have covered themes such as ‘identity and the anxiety of influence’, notions of ‘identity and aesthetic’ and issues surrounding the breadth of new music produced by Black composers across the UK.

How to apply:

If you are a Black composer or music creator who could create music of any genre for this call, or know someone who could, you can find out more and apply on the British Music Collection.

Those applying will need to provide:

  • Your email (so we can get in touch with you)
  • 250 words or a 2 minute video about your idea for this work
  • 250 words or a 2 minute video about your experience including links to previous work if possible
  • You will also be asked to complete Sound and Music’s Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

Please note that videos do not need to be you talking to camera. Please apply in whatever way best suits your needs.

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

All applicants will hear back from us by the 15th of December 2020