NCH/STF Commissioning Scheme Established (€10,000) and Mid-career/Emerging (€3,000)
NCH/STF Music Recording Award 2020/2021 (€10,000)
NCH/STF Music Project Award 2020/21 (€15,000)

The National Concert Hall (NCH) and Sounding the Feminists (STF) are delighted to announce an extension to their annual Commissioning Scheme. The new strands of 'Projects' and 'Recordings' will be added to the original Commission strand. The scheme offers established and emerging female and female identifying musicians and composers from all musical idioms a new platform to create new work and is made possible with the on-going support of the Creative Ireland Programme.

The NCH/STF Commissioning Scheme comprises two strands which offer established (€10,000) and mid-career/emerging (€3,000) female identifying musicians/composers/creators, from all musical idioms, a new platform to create a new and original piece of work. It is intended that the commissioned pieces will be performed as part of NCH’s programme in 2021/22.

The purpose of the NCH/STF Music Recording Award 2020/2021 (€10,000) is to support a high-quality professional recording project, which aims to enrich public knowledge and understanding of how women composers and creative artists have contributed to repertoires.
 
The NCH/STF Music Project Award 2020/21 (€15,000) supports women-led artists in devising and presenting imaginative, engaging, and high-quality Music Projects.
 
Simon Taylor, CEO of the National Concert Hall said:
"We at the National Concert Hall are delighted to announce this expansion of our annual Commissioning Scheme in partnership with Sounding the Feminists. The arts have suffered greatly as a result of the current pandemic, so we are thrilled to be extending our original Commissions Award to two more areas - Projects and Recordings - at a time when supporting our musicians and composers has never been more important. We are now in the third year of our partnership with Sounding the Feminists and look forward to continuing our work together providing a new platform for female and female identifying artists from all musical idioms" 
 
Karen Power, Chair of Sounding the Feminists said:
"STF is, as ever, committed to supporting creatives working in multiple and diverse fields, whether you’re in music of any type, interdisciplinary work, sound design, instrumental music, sound art and so much more. STF has broadened its call to reach all those involved in the very best of Irish music and other sonic arts and will propel exciting initiatives in programming, composition, performance, recording and dissemination that help to redress gender balance. 2020 has been full of crises; let’s step forward and make Art to make a change". 
 
Tania Banotti, Director of the Creative Ireland Programme:
 “These new commissions mark an important development of the Sounding the Feminists initiative and the Creative Ireland Programme is thrilled to support the work of female composers in what has been an extremely difficult year for all cultural practitioners. This five year partnership between ourselves and the National Concert Hall and Sounding the Feminists is just one of the Creative Ireland Programme’s initiatives that support diversity and access within music these include our work with Sing Ireland and Music Generation amongst others”. 
 
All three awards will be assessed on high artistic quality and vision, track record in accordance with the scheme (evident in supporting work), ability to deliver, originality and innovation, public value and accord with the NCH/STF partnership aims with regard diversity and gender balance. Shortlisting for each scheme will be conducted by an independent panel chosen by NCH and STF. Successful applicants will then give a more detailed pitch to an expert panel.
 
The Scheme is part of a five-year partnership initiative with NCH and Sounding the Feminists, established in 2018 and supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, under the Creative Ireland Programme. 2019’s winners of the Female Commissioning Scheme were namely Jennifer Walshe (established composer) and Claudia Schwab (emerging composer).
 
Click here for further information and/or application criteria and deadlines - PLEASE NOTE THAT DEADLINES FOR THESE AWARDS ARE NOW PASSED FOR 2020/21