The BackBeat Podcast

View Original

BAKEHOUSE STUDIOS ANNOUNCES BURSARIES FOR WOMEN IN MUSIC

Bakehouse Studios today announced new music bursaries for women and GNC musicians to encourage greater participation in the music community.

The bursaries for fully-supported studio time will be offered quarterly and were announced at the One of One International Women’s Day Women in Music Breakfast 2021.

Women have been disproportionally affected by the pandemic, often as primary caregivers for children and parents, and over-represented in unstable casual and part-time work. In the case of music and the arts, we have seen an unprecedented attrition of women - both established and emerging - from our industry with many abandoning their craft altogether.

To help remedy this, Bakehouse are introducing ten quick-release bursaries for rehearsal packages to encourage and invest in greater participation of women in live performance, creation of new work, collaboration and skills development. Each bursary consists of three off-peak rehearsal sessions and full backline at Bakehouse Studios in Richmond. The bursaries allow flexibility for music practice and rehearsal and encourages collaboration between musicians & other creatives.

A percentage of the bursaries will be exclusively for First Nations artists, CALD artists and artists living with disability. There will also be subsidies on a sliding scale offered to a selection of other artists who apply. Whilst the bursaries will be looking at merit, they will predominantly be hardship-based.

To launch the project, Bakehouse Studios owner, Helen Marcou AM, announced the first recipient of the Bakehouse bursaries at the One of One International Women’s Day event.

The inaugural recipient is Melbourne-based guitarist, Bonnie Mercer. On being announced as the inaugural bursary recipient, Bonnie says: “Thank you so much Bakehouse! I look forward to having the time and access to an inspiring space to expand my personal artistic practice, and to forge new and existing collaborations.”

The remaining nine successful recipients will be announced in the coming weeks.

Applications are now open to women and gender non-conforming musicians at all stages of their careers.
www.surveymonkey.com/r/BakehouseBursary1

Bursaries will be valid for rehearsal sessions for three months from endowment.
Solo artists or women-led bands may apply.
Applications for this round close Tuesday 23rd March at 5.00pm EST.


About Bakehouse Studios

Bakehouse Studios in Richmond is a cultural icon in Melbourne which offers a creative and inclusive studio offering space for rehearsal, recording, filming, showcase events and other creative projects. Around 400 local and international musicians pass through Bakehouse every week. For almost 30 years it has been an important piece in Melbourne's music history; and a secluded haven for musicians. Bakehouse is a place to create. It’s a place for writing music, rehearsing, pre-production for live shows and tours, shooting film clips, taking band photos, making documentaries, recording albums and meeting like-minded people. Bakehouse is a hive of musical activity.

FOLLOW BAKEHOUSE STUDIOS
WEBSITE


About Bonnie Mercer
Bonnie Mercer is an internationally-renowned guitarist who lives and works in Melbourne, Australia. Her instantly recognisable style is earth-shatteringly loud, transcendentally hypnotic, and experimental while grounded in rock forms. Mercer has been performing for over twenty-five years and is in demand at home and abroad both as solo performer and highly-respected collaborator. Past and current projects include Grey Daturas, Dumb Numbers, Dead River, Little Desert, The Dacios, Hospital Pass and Michael Beach. She has also opened for many international acts including Shellac (USA), Sleep (USA), Earth (USA), Boris (Japan) and Grouper (USA).

FOLLOW BONNIE MERCER
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | BANDCAMP