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Navigator Residencies accepting expressions of interest

Improvised Music Company’s Navigator Music Residency programme is now accepting expressions of interest from artists for 2022.

The 14-day Navigator Jazz Residency programme, in collaboration with The Source Arts Centre, Thurles, An Grianán in Letterkenny, The Courthouse in Tinahely, Co. Wicklow, and Ballina Arts Centre in Mayo, offers jazz and improvising musicians professionally remunerated time and space to develop and perform work with a deep sense of space, informed by community involvement. Artists may work in a period of 14 consecutive days or a number of shorter periods (where possible for the arts centre).

Through ongoing dialogue between IMC, the venues and the selected artists, a bespoke residency programme will be designed and delivered to assist in creating new work, new interactions, new collaborations, while also deepening the artists sense of place and space through an experience which is ultimately reflected in new interactions and outputs.

In 2021, guitarist Hugh Buckley developed work at The Source Arts Centre, saxophonist Nick Roth engaged with local young musicians, visual artists and more in Ballina Arts Centre, Ríona Sally Hartman created new work for children and collaborated with artist Cressida Lynch, and pianist Cormac McCarthy created new music, performed in duo with Donegal-based saxophonist Micheal Murray, and worked with young musicians at An Grianán Donegal, amongst many other activities.

"I feel the residency benefited me in a number of ways. The physical displacement of being situated quite a distance from my home, meant I was relieved of many daily duties and requirements. This enabled a focused development of my craft and a renewed sense of creativity. A collaboration with Mícheál Murray was very successful. We intend to continue and develop this musical relationship. Working with students from the local music program was also a very rewarding experience."

Pianist Cormac McCarthy
on his residency at An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny.

"It was a very welcome opportunity and has had a great impact on me as an artist. Getting your foot in the door, starting new working relationships with venues, other artists, production partners...etc. is always the hardest step. Once I've had an opportunity to start the conversation and show my work then the rest comes easily. I find I work with the same small circle of artists / production partners a lot and having the opportunity to widen that circle has been amazing.

Singer/songwriter Ríona Sally Hartman
on her residency at Tinahely Courthouse Arts

"It was great to be resident in the North-West in general, as it is a very vibrant artistic region and the residency enabled me to build new connections with artists that I met during my stay, and also to deepen relationships with colleagues with whom I am working further in '22.

As a very simple impact...I met artist Cathal McCarthy at the Mayo Arts show and mentioned that I was looking for a weaver with whom to collaborate for the opening of the renovated Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar in February. He introduced me to Beth Moran on Clare Island, and I was able to travel to her studio and film/record her at work for the performance next month, where the piece will be projection-mapped onto the building with me playing in the window and the audience in the street...curated by Emer Mayock, with whom I am making a setting of Dermot Healy's A Fool's Errand for the Cairde Festival in the Model, Sligo in July."

Saxophonist Nick Roth
on his residency at Ballina Arts Centre

"It was a welcome opportunity to create some new work and to focus on some existing materials that needed developing. It certainly gave me some extra 'fire in the belly' to pursue my current creative activities. It was also an opportunity to interact with a new creative community and to feel that I might have contributed positively in some way. I feel there is more work to be done there in this regard."

Guitarist Hugh Buckley
on his residency at The Source Arts, Thurles

If you are currently in a place as an artist where a residency would be beneficial to your work, and particularly if you are interested in engaging with place and local community, we would love to hear from you.

Artists can express their interest in a Navigator Residency place by filling out the form here.

Expressions of interest will not be accepted after Monday 18th April.

Please note that the Navigator residencies are extremely limited. Artists are selected in collaboration with the directors of each arts centre and with a focus on the artistic fit with the arts centre’s work, the local area, and the community.

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