Jazz@undesigned (Jazz Competition) of the Werner Richard – Dr. Carl Dörken Foundation
Jazz competition to support young jazz bands with a performance grant. Registration deadline annually June 30; audition date at the Werner Richard Hall on September 6, 2026.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
To honor the idealism of young jazz ensembles, to offer them long-term performance opportunities, and to bring jazz as an experimental counterpoint to the mainstream into the awareness of a broader audience.
Eligible to apply
- Individuals
Funding requirements
- Ensemble of at least two persons
- Maximum age 29 years
- Primary residence in NRW
Documents required for application
- Brief written introduction of the ensemble (bio, musical description, photo)
- Audio files (MP3 on USB stick or download)
Evaluation criteria
- Creativity and innovation
- Original compositions
- Performance quality before the jury
Description
Each year, the Werner Richard – Dr. Carl Dörken Foundation organizes a jazz competition in North Rhine-Westphalia that brings young ensembles with high idealism into the spotlight. The aim is to promote the creative and experimental diversity of jazz beyond commercial paths by awarding innovative bands up to 29 years of age and residing in NRW. An expert jury particularly evaluates original compositions, artistic originality, and performance quality during the audition in the Werner Richard Hall. Selected prize winners receive a performance grant that opens up opportunities for ensemble members in renowned jazz clubs and concert halls and raises awareness of jazz as a living cultural form.
Four formations will be awarded and will perform three concerts starting in September 2026 with fees scaled according to ensemble size: Duo €1,000, Trio/Quartet €1,500, Quintet and larger €2,000 per performance. Registration is open until June 30, with auditions taking place on September 6, 2026, in the Werner Richard Hall. Application materials include a brief written introduction (biography, musical description, photo) as well as audio files in MP3 format on a USB stick or as a download link. Since 2016, this call has been an initiative by the Foundation to support emerging jazz talent and to strengthen the concert landscape in the long term by providing young musicians with sustainable performance opportunities and making their creative energy visible.
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