Artist in Residence Program

Description of Program/Requests for Proposals

The Brattleboro Music Center seeks an emerging musical artist of color for a significant new Artist in Residence project.  Founded in 1952, the Brattleboro Music Center is a vibrant community arts organization that has attracted scores of professional musicians to southern Vermont for more than six decades.  Guided by our artistic advisors, the internationally acclaimed Jaime Laredo and Sharon Robinson , today’s BMC consists of numerous performance and educational programs led by talented music directors and a dedicated faculty of 30+ musicians.  Our performance programs include a world class Chamber Music Series, the Brattleboro Concert Choir, Northern Roots Festival, Music School String Orchestra, Music Under the Stars summer concert series, and the EOS Social Justice Project.  Each year, the Music Center enriches the lives of thousands of residents of our region, comprising southeastern Vermont and nearby New Hampshire and Massachusetts.  Hundreds of classes, workshops, summer activities, faculty and guest artist concerts and other live and virtual events bring people of all ages and abilities together to learn, listen and join in the celebration of music and community.

The selected artist will spend up to two years engaged with the BMC, an estimated two months each year on site in Brattleboro, VT.   

Mission for the BMC Residency Program:

To address any gaps in experience and understanding between the people and community of Brattleboro, VT and musical artists of color; to provide an opportunity for us to learn from, and grow in, awareness of and empathy for each other.

 Goals

• To include music by composers of color, as well as musicians of color in all components of our programming, from our youngest students in the Music in the Schools program and BMC Music School to our adult participant performance programs, to the players and repertoire featured in our Chamber Series.
• To provide an emerging professional musician of color new opportunities not otherwise available, and use the BMC’s and this community’s “cachet” to “boost their signal.”
• To provide the local community the chance to benefit from the presence of a voice they might not otherwise experience.
• To increase and strengthen the BMC professional network in a lasting way.

Details of the Residency

• To be a two-year residency (in person, remote or mixed):
• The artist will work with faculty, ensemble leaders, and students (and our audiences) to explore and develop curriculum and programming featuring lesser known/lesser heard musicians/composers of color, including works by the artist.
• To be achieved through:
  • Commissions (if composer) – pieces accessible to players at various levels
  • Concerts (2 years, 4 concerts)
  • School visits/performances
  • Master classes
  • Collaborations with: our performing groups, our school outreach programs, Chamber Music series and student ensembles. We may also explore collaborative projects with other local cultural organizations.

Stipend: $16,190

Please send:

• CV
• Examples (3) of your work (please provide links or other access)
• References
• Narrative description (3 to 5 pages) of your preliminary vision for this residency.

Deadline for receipt of proposals March 15, 2021.  Digital submissions only to info@bmcvt.org. Finalist will be announced May 15, 2021.

BMC reserves the right to divide the award in any way, to select no artist, or to reduce the span of the residency in any way.

By design, the specific activities of the initial Residency will emerge in dialogue among the successful applicant, advisors, and the staff of the BMC. The activities will be developed to foster the goals of the project. Participatory activities are encouraged.