Arts and Cultural Funding Program

Conductor: NSW Orchestral (Early Career) Fellowship

Conductor in NSW

The funding will be used to undertake professional development programs or significant opportunities to support the personal, creative and career advancement of early career orchestral conductors in NSW.

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Key information

  • Status: Closed
  • Grant amount: $30,000
  • Application opened: 14 February 2022
  • Application closed: 31 March 2022, 5:00 pm

Program objective

This grant supports one NSW early career orchestra conductor to undertake a 12 to 18 month (part-time), self-directed professional development program or significant opportunity to support their personal, creative and career advancement.

The shortlisted applicants will be invited to audition between April and May 2022 and will have the opportunity to speak to their proposal through an interview process with the Artform Board sub-Committee and Sydney Youth Orchestra (SYO) representatives.

The successful applicant will work with Create NSW and SYO to determine their program of activity during the Fellowship, which includes:

  • Conduct a range of ensembles with the SYO in training, practice and rehearsals
  • Conduct professional concert performances in Sydney’s venues
  • Participate in SYO’s music intensives and camps 

This program aims to:

  • connect emerging and early career orchestra conductors to professional conductors
  • connect and engage with established conductors from across the sector and as well as other top industry mentors
  • support professional training including mentorship and skills development
  • offer travel and performance with SYO’s regional tours.

The successful applicant will be provided $20,000 in financial support, paid via SYO in weekly conducting calls, as well as $10,000 from SYO in the form of mentoring, professional development and touring opportunities for programs to take place after July 2022.

This grant is delivered in partnership with the SYO.

This program is funded and administered by Create NSW.

Eligibility

Who can apply

To be eligible to submit for Conductor: NSW Orchestral (Early Career) Fellowship, you need to meet the following criteria:

  • Applicant type
    • an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident
    • an individual based in NSW
    • over 18 years of age.
  • Arts practice
    • You are a practicing early career orchestra conductor. 
  • Career stage
    • You must self-identify as a professional early career orchestra conductor. This is defined as a person that is:
    • within their first 5 years of conducting practice
    • taking or has previously undertaken training in conducting in some form (including via formal education pathways and/or relevant experience including band and choir conducting)
    • committed to their artform as a major aspect of your working life (even if this work is not the main source of income)
    • has a degree of training, experience, or manner of working that allows their work to be assessed against the highest practiced standards in the relevant artform or discipline.

You can apply with no ABN but if successful will be required to either obtain an Individual/Sole Trader ABN or Engage a Funds Administrator.

All other ABN's are ineligible, including Company/Incorporated Association ABN's.

Who can’t apply

You are ineligible to apply for the Conductor – NSW Orchestral (Early Career) Fellowship funding if:

  • your proposed activity is already taking place
  • you are applying on behalf of an organisation
  • you have received funding from Create NSW for the same fellowship
  • you are applying for filmmaking, screen production, mainstream animation or film festivals (see screen.nsw.gov.au for funding opportunities in this area).

What can’t you apply for

Funding is not available to support:

  • accredited study, training or university courses or education programs.
  • fundraising, awards or prize money
  • the purchase of musical instruments, artworks or vehicles loan repayments
  • the cost of plans, feasibility studies or architectural drawings.

Example Fellowship program

Examples of activities included in the Fellowship program, may include:

  • Conduct a range of ensembles with the SYO in training, practice and rehearsals.
  • Conduct professional concert performances in Sydney’s venues.
  • Participate in SYO’s music intensives and camps.

 

Most recent recipients

What your application needs to include

Your Fellowship application proposal needs to include the rationale of why you want to undertake this Fellowship. Your proposal can be provided as a written
one-page pitch or a short video.

Please note that your proposal should outline the self-directed fellowship program and project you wish to develop. The residency activities will be determined by the shortlist in consultation with Sydney Youth Orchestra.

Your application proposal will be assessed against the following criteria:

  • Merit
  • Impact

You need to provide supporting material as attachments.

1

Overview of your practice

An overview of your practice to outline:

  • the quality and reputation of any previous work, an overview of where you are at in your career and
  • your inspirations or influences
  • the rationale for your suitability for the fellowship and commitment to orchestral music and the development of youth orchestral music
  • information on how this fellowship opportunity will benefit you at this stage of your career
  • any potential partnerships or collaborations
    • You may consider partnering with other artists, arts/cultural workers, academics and/or organisations in your fellowship program
2

Merit and Impact

Merit

  • What is your fellowship’s vision and artistic rationale?
  • What are the key outcomes you would like to achieve by undertaking this fellowship?
  • Who are the key Fellowship personnel and partners (if applicable)?
    • you will need to include their CVs or biographies.
  • Quality and reputation of previous works. You will need to provide:
    • Samples of work.
    • Confirmation letters and/or letters of support.

Impact

  • benefit to career
  • effective planning and use of resources.
3

Supporting material

In addition, you will need to provide Support Material as attachments:

  • an original video recording lasting between 10 and 20 minutes of a rehearsal(s) or performance(s) you have conducted in the last 18 months.
    • This will need to be provided via URL
  • your CV (maximum one A4 page)
  • confirmation letters and/or letters of support related to your fellowship (provided as one document), such as from partners, venues, key sector contacts, mentors and/or collaborators or other funding agencies.

Start the application

Applications for this grant are available via the Grants portal, Smartygrants.

After the application is submitted

Successful applications will be decided by: Minister for the Arts

Confirmation

You will receive an email confirmation from our secure online grants system.

Eligibility check

Your expression of interest (EOI) will be checked for eligibility. If eligible, your EOI will proceed to the 2 stage assessment process.

If ineligible, you will be advised in writing within 14 days of the closing date and your application will not proceed to assessment.

Assessment Stage 1

Your EOI will be assessed by a sub-Committee made up of Board Members from Create NSW’s Classical Music Artform Board and representatives from the Sydney Youth Orchestra against the published assessment criteria.

The Create NSW Artform Boards consist of representatives from leading NSW arts and cultural organisations,independent organisations and individual artists.

If your application includes leadership, engagement and/or outcomes involving Aboriginal artists, arts/cultural workers and/or communities then your application can be reviewed by the Create NSW Aboriginal Arts and Culture Board.

Assessment Stage 2

The assessors meet to determine their final recommendation. They will consider the assessment criteria, the demographics, distribution, range and scale of the initial recommendations. This may include prioritising NSW individuals and activities with outcomes that address Priority Areas, to ensure equity across the State and the best outcomes for NSW Government investment.

Consultations

Create NSW may also request further advice and/or clarification from applicants during the assessment process.

 

Support and contact

Create NSW is committed to inclusion and diversity and continues to apply practices that facilitate ease-of-access to applicants wishing to apply.

Contact Create NSW arts funding team for help with:

  • understanding the guidelines for this grant
  • submitting an application in a way that is accessible to you
  • arranging an interpreting service for people applying in a language other than English
  • arranging an Auslan interpreter service
  • arranging a National Relay call.

Phone: (02) 9228 4578
Email: arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au
Online: book a 15 minute pre-application enquiry session via Picktime.

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