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FAQ

What can I expect to be doing as part of this programme?

During the programme you will participate in five workshops of at least four hours each. The main software packages that will be covered are Strudel, and Hydra.

We recommend participants allow some additional time learning and practicing outside the workshops. Informal support for this is provided online via a private Discord server.

The programme will conclude with a final performance from each participant of up to 15 minutes.

We anticipate really varied levels of experience and there’s no need to have any experience with computer programming or making music or art. We will introduce you to all of that, get you up to speed and support you in taking it further/integrating these new skills with your existing artistic practice.

To get an idea of what you can expect from the programme please see the documentation of the final performances from previous iterations of the programme:

What is the schedule?

Following the selection process the cohort will have an initial meeting to get acquainted. This will take place online.

The main programme will take place over five workshops and one final performance. The dates for those are as follows:

Workshops:

Final performance:

We ask that each participant be able to attend the workshops and the final performance in person.

Where does it take place?

The mentoring programm will take place at Vivid Projects in Birmingham. Please note that Vivid Projects moved location in 2024 and is now located at The Warehouse in Digbeth – the Birmingham Friends of the Earth’s environmental community building. The sessions will take place in a ground floor room and there is level access into the building.

The Warehouse is located a short walk from Moor St Station and the Bull Ring and in close proximity to Digbeth’s independent art spaces. There are several car parks very close by, and plenty of public transport options.

What will I need to take part?

You will need a laptop running either Windows (version 10 or later), MacOS (Catalina or above) or Linux.

We will be installing software, which will require you to have full administrator privileges on your computer.

Chromebooks, iPads, tablets and phones are unfortunately not suitable.

Can you provide laptops or equipment?

Unfortunately we do not have the resources to provide laptops.

Headphones can be provided for use within workshops.

When is the closing date for applications?

The deadline for applications is 5th May 2025 23:59 BST. Applications received after that date will not be considered.

How does the selection process work?

All applications will first be checked to make sure that they’re eligible. Those that are will be reviewed by the programme team individually, and then as a group.

We will then contact successful applicants. At any of these stages we may contact applicants to ask for clarifications or further information.

How many people will be chosen?

Up to six people will be chosen.

Can anyone from the UK apply?

Applications are welcome from anyone based anywhere in the UK. We only ask that you are able to attend each workshop in person and perform at the showcase event in person.

Can I take part remotely/online?

We ask that you are able to attend each workshop in person and perform at the showcase event in person, therefore remote/online participation is not possible.

A unique aspect of the programme is the opportunity to learn together in a collaborative environemnt and form connections with the other participants. Based on our experience this works best when all participants are in the same space.

Can I apply as a collective?

While we recognise that many artists and musicians work in groups, the focus of this programme is on the development of individuals, so unfortunately collectives/groups cannot apply.

Are there age restrictions?

This programme is for people aged 18 and above. There is no upper age limit.

Can students apply?

Yes. Students at any stage of their education can apply, as long as they are aged 18 and above.

How do you define early career artists?

For this question we borrow from Jerwood Arts’s defintion:

We think of those in the early stages of their careers as usually within the first 10 years of establishing their practice. Broadly speaking, this means the artist/curator/producer will have had some professional experience and reached a critical moment in their career, and will require a particular kind of support in order to maximise their potential and propel them into the next phase of their development.

For [this programme] it means that, unless an individual has had a career change or break, their first professional experience will have been between 2015 and 2025.

Why can only Black people apply?

Live coding is a developing practice that is in need of diverse perspectives in order to move forward in a creative and healthy way. There have long been efforts in this direction but with some exceptions, these have largely focussed on gender diversity, countering the heavy male bias in technology, with some success. These efforts have been intersectional but the recent growth of the Black Lives Matter movement during 2020 has caused us to reflect further on the disproportionate lack of Black artists in the UK live coding scene. This is despite much of live coded music heavily inspired by Black music, much of which developed against a political struggle.

Although this project responds to the lack of Black representation in the live coding and Algorave scene we don’t necessarily intend to ‘solve’ that problem. Instead we want to provide early career artists with the time and resources to explore live coding and algorithmic music/art, and take it in whatever directions they want to (or not!). In the process we can learn about what barriers and opportunities there are for those futures.

How do you define “Black”?

We define ‘Black’ as of Black African, Caribbean, Afro-Latinx and African-American heritage, including those of mixed-Black heritage who identify as such.

Do you provide expenses?

Each participant is supported by an access bursary of up to £500. This bursary is provided to support any costs which may impact your ability to take part in the mentoring programme. This may include costs such as travel, health/childcare, buying equipment etc. Participants will be given their bursary in four equal installments throughout the programme.

If you have any specific access needs that you would like to discuss ahead of your application please contact us.