• ABOUT OUR NEW SONGWRITING BURSARY

We want to offer a number of bursary places to highly talented musicians who are struggling to progress in their career due to either having to survive on a low-income or are facing other types of creative barriers caused by lack of confidence or disability.

 

These musicians would benefit greatly from attending one of our songwriting retreats as they would experience daily masterclasses and writing challenges, get the chance to meet and collaborate with like-minded musicians, receive bespoke one-to-one support, mentorship and career guidance from our multi award-winning Writers in Residence, and perform their newly written songs live at the end of the week. The outcome substantially increases their catalogue of songs, helps them understand how to commercialise their work to enable a sustainable career within the music and arts industry, develops their self-belief and creates a whole new network of musicians.

 

Also, these working relationships, collaborations and friendships amongst the fellow attendees and mentors are designed to continue long after the retreat ends. A new family is born from each retreat where everyone continues to be supported, encouraged, and nurtured, which then leads to more collaboration, more confidence, more writing and more songs being released.    

 

We are looking for corporate sponsors and philanthropic individuals - who share a love and appreciation of music and the art of songwriting - who would like to help make this rare opportunity available to struggling musicians, in the knowledge that this experience will have a significant impact on their future and long-term wellbeing. 

 

• WHAT WILL THE BURSARY COVER?

£2,500 will cover the costs for one musician to attend a songwriting retreat for a week. The week will include daily masterclasses, writing challenges, collaborative and solo writing, mentorship, one-to-one career advice with the Writer in Residence, and full board, travel costs and accommodation for six nights. It also includes working with our resident producer in his mobile recording studio in Knoydart to record an acoustic version of their songs which allows them to leave the retreat with a tangible asset that they can share with their networks.

 

• HOW ARE MUSICIANS SELECTED FOR A BURSARY

Our retreats are not for beginners so, in order for us to ensure a balanced group who can collaborate effectively, all attendees register their interest by submitting examples of their work to us. Anyone applying for the bursary will also go through this process but, in addition, they would have to submit a personal statement outlining their situation, why they believe they are eligible for a bursary and how this experience will have a positive effect on their creative career and future. We will conduct zoom interviews with all prospective applicants.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO SUPPORT OUR FUND, PLEASE CONTACT:-

 

Janey de Nordwall

Founder & Director

The Knoydart Retreat Ltd. & The Knoydart Songwriting Retreat CIC

janey@theknoydartretreat.com