Deadline: 14-Jul-23
OneBeat Ghana will bring together a cohort of leading young musician entrepreneurs from Ghana, Nigeria and the U.S. for an intensive 2-week residency in Ghana to exchange and build strategies for stronger artist communities and creative economies in the region.
Fellows will participate in skill shares and discussions, creative exercises, workshops led by guest artists while working to develop project proposals. In today’s rapidly shifting music industry, musicians need to function not simply as artists, but as creative entrepreneurs to succeed. Musicians in these areas require systems of support in order to build stronger artistic communities. OneBeat Ghana will bring together a cohort of musician leaders who are leading the charge to build stronger creative economies in their region and support the development of innovative artist-led ventures and socially informed projects. Musicians are asked to apply with specific project ideas to work on during the program. At the end of the residency, Fellows will be asked to develop a pitch or plan for the next steps of their projects, which will be presented in Accra.
OneBeat offers musicians the opportunity to collaborate on new projects. OneBeat is socially engaged. They are looking for musicians who have a strong commitment to their communities and who are seeking new ways to engage in youth development, music education, music therapy, conflict resolution, a global dialogue through music, and other ways of working towards more egalitarian and democratic societies. OneBeat is a free program.
The OneBeat program covers all Fellows’ travel, transportation, food, and lodging. They also offer a modest stipend. While they are not able to pay fees, OneBeat offers Fellows a chance to create new works, establish lifelong musical partnerships and friendships, learn new marketable skills, and develop professional connections.
Audio/Video Application Materials: Applicants should plan to write about their proposed creative projects and their musical background. Applicants will be asked to submit 3-5 samples of their work.
Eligibility Criteria
- Age Applicants must be 19 or older by the time of the program (November 6, 2023) and 35 or younger at the end of the program (November 20, 2023).
- Eligible Countries and Territories Ghana, Nigeria, United States.
- Musicians from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply, with or without formal musical training. They welcome music of all genres, including but not limited to: traditional/folk, hip hop, experimental, electronic, jazz, classical, sound design, beat-making, multimedia art, or any combination of these styles.
- In addition to full-time professional musicians, they also invite adventurous musicians who double as community organizers, instrument builders, writers, videographers, musicologists, educators, storytellers, dancers, shadow-puppeteers, and more.
Review Criteria
- Project Proposal – Applicants must apply with a project proposal. Proposals will be rated based on four key factors: innovation, vision, impact and feasibility.
- Collaboration – Applicants’ willingness to reach across cultural and musical divides in creating original music or re-interpreting traditional music, while respecting the essence of each tradition. Applicants should be prepared to try new things musically.
- Social Engagement – Musicians who have used music to serve their communities or greater societies. This might consist of guiding young people in music education, addressing social or political issues through musical content, reviving dying musical traditions, and more.
- Musical Excellence – A high level of performance, composition, improvisational, production and/or technological skill. Ideally OneBeat musicians will be innovating stylistically, lyrically, or technologically within their musical worlds.
- English Proficiency – Applicants should be able to converse in and understand basic English, as it will be the common language of the OneBeat program.
For more information, visit Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.