skip to main content

Opera North Seeks BAME Artists for Resonance Residencies

Opera North are seeking applications from music-makers and composers from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds living in the north of England for their third programme of Resonance residencies, supported by PRS Foundation.

Published: 01 October 2019 | 12:00 AM Updated: 28 April 2021 | 4:30 PM
Close up photograph of hands on a keyboard.
The residency is open to musicians and composers working in any genre. Photocredit: Shutterstock

Launched in 2017, Resonance offers professional musicians and composers working in any genre the opportunity to develop new ideas, to collaborate with performers from other disciplines and to take their work in new directions.

Successful applicants for the new round of residencies will receive up to a week of free rehearsal space in central Leeds in March and April 2020, a grant of up to £3,500 to cover fees for those involved and other costs, support and advice from technicians, producers and other specialists, and an optional ‘work in progress’ performance.

The structure and support provided will be tailored to the particular needs of each artist.

In an interview recorded after his spring 2019 residency, Zimbabwean singer Thabo talks about how Resonance helped him to develop his innovative new multi-sensory performance involving music, visuals and a series of scents:

To apply for a residency as part of Resonance 2020, artists should fill in Opera North’s short online form and submit it by 10:00am on Monday 14 October 2019.

To qualify for consideration, the lead artist must be a professional composer, musician or music maker from a BAME background, aged 18 years old or over and living in the north of England.

Find out more about the Resonance residencies, and previous successful applicants, on Opera North’s website.

Get MU membership today

From gig players to part-time teachers and professional instrumentalists, MU members can access specialist insurance for musicians. This includes Public Liability, Instrument and Equipment Insurance, Accident Insurance, Tax Investigation Insurance, and Professional Indemnity Insurance for music teachers.

Explore our member services

  • Get public liability insurance for musicians
  • Access expert legal support
  • Be represented in your profession
  • Access expert career advice, resources, and training events
  • Connect, network, and get to know the community of musicians

Learn about all membership benefits

Get MU membership today

Continue reading

People marching across a village with thatched roofs, holding hand made union banners.

Celebrate Union Pride with the MU at Tolpuddle 2025

Members are invited to join us at this year’s Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival - the biggest celebration of the trade union movement in the Southwest - taking place 18 to 20 July in the beautiful Dorset village of Tolpuddle.

Published: 13 June 2025

Read more about Celebrate Union Pride with the MU at Tolpuddle 2025
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves on stage making a speech at the Labour Party Conference in 2023.

Increased Money for the Creative Industries in Government Spending Review

Yesterday Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves set out her Comprehensive Spending Review. Having lobbied the Government for additional money for music, it was positive to see the Government announce a "significant increase in funding for the creative industries" as a key “growth sector".

Published: 12 June 2025

Read more about Increased Money for the Creative Industries in Government Spending Review
Last year's parade, hundreds of people walking down the narrow historic main street, holding large colourful banners and balloons.

March With the MU at Durham Miners’ Gala 2025

Members are invited to join us on Saturday 12 July for the Durham Miners’ Gala – the world’s biggest celebration of trade union values, community spirit, and working-class life.

Published: 12 June 2025

Read more about March With the MU at Durham Miners’ Gala 2025