NAVIGATOR Artist in Residence Sean Maynard Smith announced for Ballina Arts Centre this June, 2025

IMC’s Navigator Jazz Residency programme was established in 2021. Since then 24 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 and Courthouse Arts Tinahely and Garter Lane, Waterford.

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.

Sean Maynard Smith is a professional bass player with a diverse range of musical experiences. He is a regular feature in the Irish Jazz scene and plays weekly as part of the ‘Pizza Jazz’ trio at Lucky’s, a 6 year residency which guests some of the island's leading jazz musicians every Wednesday in Dublin. Since earning a BA from Newpark School of Music in 2004, he has been working in a wide variety of musical outfits in Ireland and the UK. He currently plays with Dan Walsh's 'Fixity', Aonghus McEvoy and the Ben Prevo Three, among others.

Ahead of his Navigator residency, Sean said:

"I am delighted to be the IMC Navigator musician in residence at Ballina Arts Centre. I plan to use this opportunity to create a small body of new work, inspired by my first impressions of a town and its inhabitants. I've never visited Ballina before but I've heard a lot about it and am thankful for the opportunity to make this first introduction."

Paul Cunningham, Ballina Arts Centre director said:

"The annual IMC NAVIGATOR residency has become a mainstay of the wider artist residency programmes offered by Ballina Arts Centre. One of Ballina Arts Centre's key values is to support artists by providing them with resources so that they can further their practice. The way in which the NAVIGATOR residency is structured speaks directly to this value. It gives the artist the time and space that they need to work while also connecting them to new communities, experiences and audiences. We are very much looking forward to welcoming Sean to Ballina Arts Centre and the wider community of Ballina and north Mayo in June."

The NAVIGATOR residency programme is part of IMC's commitment to further develop the national scene for jazz and improvised music, improve artist touring mobility, develop audiences nationwide, and develop creative opportunities and fruitful new relationships for musicians.

Further NAVIGATOR artist residencies will be announced in due course.

Sean Maynard Smith: seanmsmith.bandcamp.com
IMC: improvisedmusic.ie
Ballina Arts Centre: ballinaartscentre.com