Artists selected for NAVIGATOR Residencies 2026

IMC’s Navigator Jazz Residency programme was established in 2021. Since then 27 musicians have enjoyed bespoke residencies through venue partners Ballina Arts Centre, The Source Arts Centre Thurles, An Grianán Theatre in Letterkenny, Riverbank Arts Centre Newbridge, Courthouse Arts Tinahely, Garter Lane, Waterford and the Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast. For the 2026 edition, we welcome the esteemed Triskel Arts Centre, Cork into the fold.

NAVIGATOR offers jazz and improvising musicians professionally remunerated time and space to develop and perform work, while building creative and professional relationships in new locations.

The 2026 Navigator artists are;

Laura Hyland - Triskel Arts Cork
Jennifer McMahon - Ballina Arts Centre
Joseph Leighton - Riverbank Arts Centre
Meabh McKenna - An Grianan Theatre
Ed Devane - Garter Lane Waterford
Kasia Eliasz - Tinahely Courthouse Arts

Aoife Concannon, Creative Producer with Improvised Music Company said;

"Entering its 6th year, the Navigator residency programme has carved an inspiring legacy of new music and new ideas, with connections and pathways made, from the 27 musicians who have enjoyed the experience to date. The warm welcome from our venue partners around the island, and their engaged creative communities and audiences, make this a truly collaborative and important programme."

A series of reflective pieces from past Navigator artists offers further insight into the programme’s impact and development. We invite readers to explore these reflections in full here.

2025 Navigator artist Emily O'Rourke said;

"This residency has truly been a gift. I am so grateful for the dedicated space and time to compose and remember my love for music."

Laura Hyland is a Wexford-based artist, composer and performer, interested in our place in the cosmos and our shared human experience. Using song, poetry, voice, improvisation, sound sculpture and composition, she works over long timeframes, allowing new iterations of the same few projects to metamorphose over the years.

Jennifer McMahon is a Dublin-based vocalist, songwriter, producer, performer, and educator whose work centres on emotional honesty and human connection. Her music explores themes of love, loss, belonging, sensuality, and compassion, driven by a deep interest in human behaviour and shared experience.

Guitarist Joseph Leighton is recognised as one of Ireland’s brightest new jazz talents. Starting as a teenage rock guitarist in Derry, he soon transitioned to jazz, studying with icons like Jesse van Ruller, Mike Walker, and Peter Bernstein. Joseph has toured extensively, performing in Vietnam, Singapore, Lebanon, and Jamaica, and he has worked with top jazz names nationally, including UK saxophonist Julian Siegal. His new quartet featuring Riley Stone-Lonergan, Will Sach and Gene Calderazzo, brings an energetic and dynamic sound.

Utilising the harp, voice, electronics and percussion, Méabh McKenna is a multi-instrumental sound artist currently based in Dublin. Drawing on years of experimentation and collaboration, her live performances have evolved from traversing the eclectic worlds of traditional, classical, and early music, intuitively weaving them with contemporary and electronic elements.

Kasia Eliasz is an award-winning vocalist, artist, and inclusive music practitioner whose work spans sound healing, live performance, and community engagement. With a background in cultural studies, psychotherapy, and art therapy, she brings a deeply reflective and holistic approach to music-making - one that values emotional connection, sensory awareness, and the transformative power of sound.

Ed Devane is a sound artist, instrument builder and improvisor whose work seamlessly merges the worlds of music, interactive installations, and experimental sound design. His creative journey began with a passion for sound and evolved into a multifaceted practice that explores the intersection of art, technology, and community engagement.

2024 Navigator artist Sorcha McCague said:

“Having isolated, protected quiet time to create is one of the most rewarding and satisfying feelings for an artist. The feeling of satisfaction was unmeasurable on the final day!"