American Composers Forum (ACF) is pleased to announce the opening of applications for the 2024 ACF | create program, which supports the creation and presentation of new works by early-career music creators based in Minnesota or the five boroughs of New York City. To be eligible, artists must have been residents for at least one year prior to application or program participation.
Funded by the Jerome Foundation, five commissions totaling $11,000 will be awarded: for each award, $8,000 is designated for the music creator’s time to create the work, and $3,000 is designated to help with production and promotion support. Selected projects need to be completed within five years.
In addition to funding support, awardees have access to exclusive ACF events, networking activities, and career development mentorship from ACF staff. They also have opportunities to be featured and promoted on ACF’s platforms, such as curating playlists for I CARE IF YOU LISTEN, being interviewed for artist profiles, and having their work shared in our newsletters (distributed to more than 9,000 recipients).
Applications will be reviewed by a panel of artists, to be announced on ACF’s website and social media platforms prior to the application deadline.
ACF’s mission is to support and advocate for individuals and groups creating music today by demonstrating the vitality and relevance of their art. We do this by empowering composers, modeling creative partnerships, and advocating for music creators through storytelling and connections. Working with an ecosystem of artists, programmers, presenters, teachers, funders, and audiences, we frame all of our work with a commitment to racial equity, with the belief that creating a fairer world for artists benefits us all.
ACF encourages applications from a broad range of musical perspectives, and is committed to supporting projects that represent a diversity of creative approaches, ethnicities, races, and genders.
Applications are due Friday, April 12 at 11:59 pm CST.
For application and complete program details, visit https://composersforum.org/programs/acf-create/
ABOUT AMERICAN COMPOSERS FORUM
ACF supports and advocates for individuals and groups creating music today by demonstrating the vitality and relevance of their art. We connect artists with collaborators, organizations, audiences, and resources. Through storytelling, publications, recordings, hosted gatherings, and industry leadership, we activate equitable opportunities for artists. We provide direct funding and mentorship to a broad and diverse field of music creators, highlighting those who have been historically excluded from participation.
Founded in 1973 by composers Libby Larsen and Stephen Paulus as the Minnesota Composers Forum, the organization continues to invest in its Minnesota home while connecting artists and advocates across the United States, its territories, and beyond. ACF frames our work with a focus on racial equity and includes within that scope, but does not limit it to: diverse gender identities, musical approaches and perspectives, religions, ages, (dis)abilities, cultures, backgrounds, sexual orientations, and broad definitions of “American.” Visit www.composersforum.org for more information.
ABOUT JEROME FOUNDATION
Jerome Foundation seeks to contribute to a dynamic and evolving culture by supporting the creation, development, and production of new works by early career artists based in Minnesota and New York City. The Foundation makes grants to early career artists and those nonprofit arts organizations that serve them in the state of Minnesota and the five boroughs of New York City. The Foundation’s grantmaking is guided by the values of intersectional racial equity, diversity, innovation, risk, and humility. jeromefdn.org
I CARE IF YOU LISTEN is an editorially-independent program of the American Composers Forum, and is made possible thanks to generous donor and institutional support. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author and may not represent the views of ICIYL or ACF.
You can support the work of ICIYL with a tax-deductible gift to ACF. For more on ACF, visit the “At ACF” section or composersforum.org.