Louth musicians urged to apply for Music Network Artist Residencies

Professional musicians from Louth performing in a range of genres are invited to apply for RESONATE 2023, Music Network’s artist residency programme in partnership with glór (Ennis), Ionad Cultúrtha (Baile Mhúirne), The National Opera House (Wexford), Triskel Arts Centre (Cork City), The Dock (Carrick-On-Shannon) and Regional Cultural Centre (Letterkenny).

Now in its 3rd year, RESONATE provides support for professional musicians with a strong track record in music performance to develop new work and/or collaborations.

Each residency provides a grant of €6,000 to enable the selected musicians to devote time to the creation of new work, in addition to a range of in-kind supports from both Music Network and each venue partner along with opportunities to showcase the work through live performances and digital updates.     

The six residencies are open to established musicians of professional performing standard working in a range of genres. Applicants must be resident in the Republic of Ireland and be aged 18 or over. Applicants may apply as solo artists, on behalf of an existing group or ensemble, or for a new collaboration.    

Commenting on the announcement, Music Network’s CEO Sharon Rollston said:

“We’re very pleased to be offering RESONATE together with our partners for a third consecutive year. It’s the most extensive of our musician residency programmes and offers lots of scope for musicians to develop imaginative new work, including cross-artform ideas where music is central. Audiences will also have an opportunity to engage with the resident musicians when they perform live in their host venues later in the year."

Speaking about her experience as part of the 2022 residency, renowned singer Pauline Scanlon commented:

"It has been a really difficult time to get space, and head space to think about songs and collaborative things that I have wanted to do for a long time. As an artist it is a real luxury to be able to dream things up, and to have the time, resources and support to do that. It’s priceless really because, what you do in this residency, you can build on. It’s very important for artists like myself to be able to do that.” 

Pauline was a RESONATE artist in Ionad Cultúrtha, Baile Mhúirne in 2022.  She developed ‘The Longing’, a collaborative traditional singing project with Armagh singer and multi-instrumentalist Barry Kerr and performed with singer and harpist Síle Denvir and percussionist Eamon Murray.

Other 2022 RESONATE residencies were awarded to an eclectic mix of artists. Mezzo-soprano Naomi Louisa O’Connell worked with pianist Gary Beecher and composer Emma O’Halloran at glór, Ennis, concertina player Niall Vallely collaborated with cellist Kate Ellis and Kenneth Edge on soprano saxophone at the National Opera House, Wexford, while Irish-Dutch singer and guitarist Patrick Stefan Groenland joined forces with Irish-Persian group Navá at Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny. 

In Carrick-On-Shannon at The Dock, Soprano Elizabeth Hilliard worked with composer Gráinne Mulvey to create a new, comic work for voice and tape inspired by “spam” and classical violinist Patrick Rafter pushed the boundaries of the standard concert format with artist and composer Sam Perkin through their exploration of music and physicality/movement at Triskel Arts Centre, Cork.

Anyone interested in making an application can register for our online information session at 11am on Monday 17 April. A recording of the session will be available on Music Network's website and social media channels from Tuesday 18 April 2023. 

This year’s residencies will run from July to October and the closing date for applications is 2pm on Thursday 11 May 2023. Applications are made online. The application form, more information about the residencies and guidelines for applicants are all available on the Music Network website.

Music Network is committed to equity and inclusion, and particularly welcomes applications from under-represented musicians, including but not limited to: musicians of colour, musicians with disabilities, Traveller musicians and LGBTQ+ musicians.

RESONATE is a Music Network artist residency programme in partnership with glór, Ionad Cultúrtha, The National Opera House, Triskel Arts Centre, The Dock and Regional Cultural Centre.