Artistic Directors Series #008: ESKA

Brighter Sound is delighted to announce an artistic residency with Mercury Prize-nominated singer and multi-instrumentalist ESKA.

Brighter Sound is looking for 15 talented emerging musicians, dancers, filmmakers, photographers, actors, performers and visual artists who embrace creativity and invention to take part in a four-day residency with ESKA from Thursday 25 May to Sunday 28 May inclusive.

The residency will be entitled, “Are You Here?”, and participants will collaborate with ESKA to create and record new music, performance and visuals that will be showcased at Manchester’s iconic music venue Band on the Wall on 28 May.

Zimbabwe-born, London-raised singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist ESKA will lead a four-day residency for 15 emerging musicians, performers and visual artists from across the UK.

ESKA defies categorisation, blending soul, folk-pop, jazz, electronica and blues. Her twenty-year career has taken her around the world, collaborating with artists including Grace Jones, UNKLE and Tony Allen. In 2015, ESKA released her self-titled debut album to rave reviews, earning a Mercury Prize nomination

We asked ESKA to describe what excited her about this opportunity:

“For us, art is not an end in itself … but it is an opportunity for the true perception and criticism of the times we live in.” – Hugo Ball, founder of DADA, 1916.

This is art’s ‘call to arms’! The barometer of success of this process will be how we are able to challenge ourselves and our audience to think…and think again about the current times we are living in. Working across various art forms, I hope this will also be an opportunity for collaboration, to get a different perspective on the role and function of our art, to challenge notions of performance and the role of the audience in response to our creations. If you, like me, are struggling to grasp what’s going on in the world, here is a chance to make a response to that. Excited? So am I.” – ESKA

“It’s the sort of opportunity that money can’t buy… that can give someone the boost they need for stepping on into the next generation of British music” – Bethan Morgan-Williams, previous residency participant.

Application Information

Dates: Thurs 25 – Sun 28 May

Showcase: Sun 28 May, 8pm

Applicants must be:

• aged over 18
• from or based in the UK
• available to attend all session dates in person

This opportunity is open to any emerging musician, dancer, photographer, filmmaker, graffiti artist, fine artist, visual artist who embraces creativity and invention. You do not need to hold a qualification or a degree as selection will be based on your experience, quality of musicianship / work and the potential for this opportunity to impact on your career.

We anticipate a group of up to 10 musicians and 5 artists from other disciplines.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Sun 9 Apr, 11pm

Successful applicants will be notified no later than Fri 28 Apr. 

Apply for Artistic Directors Series #008 with ESKA

You can download the application questions so that you can prepare your answers, but applications must be submitted online.*

Book tickets for the showcase

*We are committed to supporting and meeting the needs of people with learning difficulties or disabilities. If you require the application in a different format or have difficulty completing your application online, please call us to discuss alternative options on 0161 830 3899.

Expenses

Each participant will receive:

• 1 x return rail fare to (or fuel expenses) to Manchester from your home location (if necessary), arriving on Thurs 25 May, departing on Mon 29 May, or after final performance on Sun 28 May if preferred.
• Accommodation in Manchester (if required) for four nights. Arrive Thurs 25 May – depart Mon 29 May.
• £20 per diems each day