Talent Development Partner 2020: Serious Events Ltd
Serious is one of the UK’s leading producers and curators of live jazz, international and new music. Serious produces events that range from major concerts, festivals and national and international tours through to creative engagement programmes, conferences and specially commissioned bespoke events – working extensively in both the live and digital realms. Most prominently, it produces the EFG London Jazz Festival, one of the largest jazz festivals in the world, alongside more bespoke festivals and series such as Between The Lines and K Music.
Alongside its core role as a live music events producer, and programme consultant, Serious is committed to ensuring that music is accessible to all, and that artists have opportunities needed to reach their full potential. Our charity Serious Trust is crucial in enabling this ambition through supporting our talent development, creative engagement and commissioning programmes.
Our suite of talent development programmes Seriously Talented – which includes Take Five, Giant Steps, and LEAP – enables both emerging and established artists to learn new skills, make industry connections, and develop their creative practice along with providing high profile performance opportunities across our festivals and tours. Running for over fifteen years now, these programmes are widely renowned as some of the most prestigious in jazz and contemporary music. Past participants include Emma-Jean Thackray, Gaika, Gazelle Twin, Nubya Garcia, Seb Rochford, and Shabaka Hutchings.
‘It goes without saying that 2020 was a challenging year, but our work as a Talent Development Partner was all the more rewarding as a result, and more essential for artists than ever. PRS Foundation’s flexibility as we moved our programmes online was extremely accommodating, and ultimately allowed us to present the work of our Seriously Talented artists to a wider audience than ever, while also enhancing their digital skills and offering.’