Open Now: Jazz Road Tours Grant Applications

Grants of up to $15,000, directly to artists

South Arts is now accepting applications for Jazz Road Tours, a national program offering grants of up to $15,000 to support tours by emerging and mid-career jazz artists. Artists can apply for funds to build tours that include three to six sites, with an emphasis on reaching rural, isolated, and under-served communities in combination with dates at more traditional venues. These awards will support tours taking place between August 15, 2020 and August 14, 2021. Applications are due by April 21, 2020.

“Artists deserve to be paid equitably for their work, and Jazz Road is able to ensure that musicians can focus on their art as much as their wallets,” said Sara Donnelly, director of jazz with South Arts.

South Arts has simplified the application process for this cycle of Jazz Road Tours. Previous as well as new applicants are encouraged to apply, and the program is open to US citizens or permanent residents 18 and over. Applicants may be either a solo artist or working with a composer-led or collective jazz ensemble which consists of 2-10 musicians.

For a full list of eligibility requirements, to review the program guidelines, and to begin your application, visit our website.

Dates and Deadlines

Application Deadline: April 21, 2020
Grant Notification: July 2020
Grant Period: August 15, 2020 – August 14, 2021

Jazz Road offers rolling deadlines for application submissions now through June 2022. Stay tuned for additional deadlines!

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Program Description

Designed for emerging and mid-career artists, Jazz Road Tours supports small, three- to six-site tours at an array of venue types, often in rural communities and other areas traditionally underserved by the genre.

This artist-centric grant program—designed to support approximately 50 tours each year—is made possible with support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Award Amount
Grant amounts generally range from $5,000 to $15,000.

Note: Grant funds are taxable. Grantees must comply with all applicable city, state, and federal laws when reporting grant income.

Eligibility

Jazz Road advisors and panelists will recognize the complete history and aesthetic range of excellence within jazz music, and will not attempt to define “jazz” in the guidelines.

Only individual artists (as an individual, an artist-led nonprofit organization, or an artist-led corporation) may apply to this program. An eligible artist is:

• A professional jazz artist, working solo or working with a composer-led or collective jazz ensemble which consists of 2-10 musicians;
• Age 18 or over and not currently a full-time student;
• Based in the U.S. or its territories, and is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (non-residents may participate in a tour, but not be paid with Jazz Road Tours funds)

Please review the guidelines for details about eligible tour sites and expenses.

Application Requirements

South Arts uses the GoSmart online application system to process Jazz Road Tours grant submissions. The application consists of the following:

• Application Narrative
• Biography
• Link to Artist Website and Other Social Media Links
• Tour Summary
• Countersigned Offer Letter (per engagement). Contracts may also be submitted in lieu of the Offer Letter.
• Tour Budget Summary
• Three video and/or audio links that best represent your music. You may also include a link to the artist’s electronic press kit as one of these links.

Jazz Road, administered by Atlanta-based South Arts, is funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation with additional support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The initiative is conducted in partnership with the five other Regional Arts Organizations (Arts Midwest, Mid-America Arts Alliance, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, New England Foundation for the Arts, and Western Arts Alliance/WESTAF).