Q: Is there an upper limit on the number of musicians in each band? In any case, is a larger group unlikely to be accepted, given the restraints that it may have on the overall Northern Line budget?
We’ve made many improvements to the scheme, including removing the upper limit on the size of ensembles supported on the scheme. The way we’ll work it is to look at your overall budget and your projected touring plans accordingly. However, we’re likely to offer larger bands a smaller number of subsidised gigs than smaller bands.
Q: What venues can we visit, and can we include Scotland and further south? What do you classify as the north?
You can plan to tour in any venues, clubs or festivals in the north that you feel are relevant to where you want the band to be positioned in terms of its next steps. You may also be contacted by promoters wishing to book you via the scheme. You should think carefully about which bookings you want to accept through Northern Line, ensuring that you’re making best use of the subsidised rates.
You can include a few dates outside of the north if they are relevant to your plans, but we would expect the majority of dates to fall within the north. We will look at each application on a case-by-case basis, assessing what is relevant to each applicant. For an overview of the boundaries of the north, see here.
Q: How many tour dates are you able to subsidise for each band?
As part of the improvements, we’ve removed the specific number of subsidised gigs available for each band on the scheme. This is so that we can support a wider variety of touring plans. We ask you to set out your tour plans according to what is most relevant to your ambitions. So, for example, you might want to secure 3 dates at major northern festivals, or 15 dates at small clubs across the north.
Q: Do you cover overnight accommodation and travel too? Can you cover any other costs on tour, e.g. food and drink?
We ask each promoter to cover any travel and accommodation costs associated with each booking. Jazz North’s subsidy exists to support artist fees.
Q: How much will I get paid?
Your fee will be a mixture of Jazz North subsidy and the contribution from the promoter. This ratio will vary according to the promoter’s economic status, your touring plans and your track record. You should set out your touring costs in your application, including a reasonable rate for individual performers that meets minimum industry rates. Since each applicant will have a different track record, experience and audience appeal, you should set your fees at a realistic level that balances what you think you are able to command and what you are likely to secure. If the panel considers your projected fees to be unrealistically high or low, we will discuss this with you if you are successfully elected onto the scheme, to arrive at an acceptable compromise that still meets industry minimum rates.
Q: What do you mean by ‘meaningful conversations with promoters’?
[section 6.1] We want your touring plans to balance ambition with reality. In order for the panel to assess how realistic your plans are, we’d like to see evidence of you having identified a few likely promoters willing to programme you. This doesn’t need to be a firm booking, but you should outline in your application who and/or what type of promoters you have contacted as part of building your touring plans, and any positive responses you’ve had so far.
Q: If I’ve previously been on Northern Line, am I still eligible to apply?
Yes. However, Northern Line is a highly competitive scheme. If you apply with the same band or project and have featured on the scheme in recent years, your application is likely to be a lower priority than applications from artists new to the scheme. If you are reapplying, you should explain how you have developed artistically or how your touring plans have grown since you were last on Northern Line.
Q: My band has a long experience of performing but we have not yet toured together and so we do not have a video with ‘audience participation’. What should I submit?
The panel will want to see evidence that you have the skills and presence to connect with live audiences. If you don’t have any live performances on record, provide us with other evidence of the impact you’ve had on audiences: for example, audience feedback, promoter feedback, or other evidence of your performing skills. It is up to you to make the best case for your music.
Q: Can I include Access Needs as part of my budget?
Yes. Jazz North proudly adheres to Fair Access principles. If any of your touring ensemble have access needs, include the costs of these in your budget and we will look to support this element separately to your fees and other costs.
Q: I made some mistakes or missed something out of my form before submitting it. Can I change any of my responses after I’ve submitted the form?
Yes – you will have received an automated email just after submitting your form. In that, you’ll see an ‘Edit Response’ button. Click that and it’ll take you back into your original form. You can then go through and add/change any details, click through to the end and submit again. That will then submit and save the revised response, and you’ll get another email detailing the changes you just made.