Jazz North Announces the Latest Round of New Northern Bursary

New Northern is Jazz North’s promoter bursary to support live emerging talent. It supports promoters to programme emerging northern artists by underwriting risk and helping pay essential costs.   

Designed both to support emerging artists in the north and give an injection of cash to promoters who need it, this easy-access scheme offers a quick intervention to northern grassroots promoters facing difficult financial circumstances.   

In response to the current and unique funding challenges being experienced by festivals, Jazz North has ringfenced an additional limited budget for this round to award to northern jazz festivals, who may apply for up to £3k towards their programme.

Chris Bye, Jazz North CEO, says: "Funding pressures, rising costs, being asked to do more with less… the word ‘challenging’ doesn’t come close to how things are right now. In response, Jazz North is pleased to announce that New Northern will be *doubled* in size this year. Not only that, but we are opening up the programme to festivals as well.   

With this expanded round of New Northern, Jazz North proudly supports and celebrates those that facilitate our local scenes, support new talent and make up an essential part of the northern night-time economy.”  

Last year, Jazz North awarded bursaries to Lancaster Jazz Festival, Brume, Stockport Jazz, The Badness Centre and Hull Jazz.   With help from this small bursary, the promoters delivered remarkable work across the north.

New Northern is open for applications until midday on Monday 3rd August 2026 

Visit https://www.jazznorth.org/new-northern-application-page for more information and to apply.