COMMUNITY ARTS PROGRAM
SUPPORTING LOCAL EMERGING ARTISTS
NOW IN ITS SECOND SEASON!
Presented by Crosshatch Center for Art and Ecology & The Alluvion
HOW IT WORKS
Applying for Ship Yard:
There’s no cost to apply. Artists interested in performing in Ship Yard fill out a short application, which includes a video recording of two songs for our jury panel to review. Acts who are accepted are scheduled on a first-come first-served basis. Whether accepted or not, artists may reapply six months after their performance date, as long as they continue to meet the qualifications.
WHO CAN APPLY?
Both solo performers and bands may apply. To qualify, artists must meet a standard of being original, local, and emerging.
ORIGINAL: Artists must perform original live music or original reinterpretations of standards—not cover bands. DJ’s and other electronic artists are welcome to apply—be able to make the case your music is original.
LOCAL: At least half the musicians in the band must live at least half-time in the 10-county region around Traverse City.
EMERGING: This is a little trickier, but if this band (playing these songs, with mostly the same musicians) has played fewer than 20 shows for pay, you qualify.
WE’RE FLEXIBLE: if you feel like you don’t fit all these criteria 100%, but you still think you qualify, we definitely welcome a conversation about it.
Performing at Ship Yard and What You Get:
Ship Yard takes place on the first Tuesday of the month. Performances lasting from 5:30 (doors) to about 7:30 pm.
The program supports two bands each show. Bands get 30 to 40 minute tech rehearsal and sound check, when they can also consult with our full staff.
Each band is allotted a 30-minute performance slot. Alluvion staff and sound crew will be present for the show.
For emerging musicians, this program provides:
you get a high-quality audio and video recording (including files for later mastering) of your performance
a high-quality space to perform
a generous and attentive audience
lots of technical support
a $50 /musician stipend (capped at $250/band)
For audiences, this is a chance to discover our region’s up and coming talent, with performances by two new artists the first Tuesday of every month.
Beyond the Performance:
Beyond the application and performance, we ask Ship Yard acts to contribute in the following ways:
Promotion: help get the word out about the show—and the program—using your existing channels. More importantly, invite your friends, family, and fans to attend!
Professionalism: be on time, actively engaged, and ready to produce the best show you can.
Pay it forward: take some steps, from filling out a survey about your experience, to ongoing promotion, to joining the Open Stage Advisory Council, to help those following behind you have an even better experience than you did. Show up for future shows!
There’s no cost to apply. Fill out a short application and submit two songs (a phone recording is fine) for our jury panel to review.
Note: we use Slideroom as our application portal, which will require you create a free account. Slideroom is used by colleges, non-profits and arts institutions around the world to collect and process applications, so there’s a good chance you’ll use your account again later in your career. If for some reason this is a obstacle to your application, contact us and we can find an alternative.
WHY WE DO IT
From the inception of The Alluvion, we wanted this to be a space where music could come to grow. We dreamed that this would be a space that highlighted folks on all points of their artistic journeys — not only the seasoned experts, but also the newcomers. So hello, all you garage performers, you dream-chasers, you question-askers, you footing-finders, you craft-builders-and-launchers. This program is for you.
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We’ve had quite a few applications from musicians who don’t qualify for this program—either because they live too far away or because they are too far along in their career.
Please review the criteria under “who can apply?” below before applying.
Also, know that this is not a replacement for our standard booking process, and won’t help you move up in line for a standard gig.
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For some reason the application platform is not friendly to certain YouTube links. When you add YouTube videos make sure the URL includes youtube.com and not youtu.be. The rest of the URL should work, so you can actually swap/retype that part.
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If you are having any kind of trouble or have any questions at all, reach out to Brad Kik by email.
brad@crosshatch.org
Ship Yard Performances
Ship Yard is held on the first Tuesday of the month, with one 30-minute set at 6 pm and one at 6:45 pm.