Deadline for Write Stuff applications fast approaching...

The Write Stuff – the weeklong jazz journalism course founded and run by Jazzwise Magazine and festival producers Serious – is back at this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival and offers a unique opportunity for budding jazz writers to get expert instruction from some leading writers and broadcasters, as well as getting to go to some fantastic gigs for free.

Open to applicants aged 18 to 25 years old, participants will receive an Arts Award certificate on successfully completing the intensive week of workshops, which run from 15 to 24 November. The deadline for applications is Thursday 10 October – see details below.

Many of those who’ve taken part in the Write Stuff have gone on to gain professional roles, with this testimony outlining the benefits of taking part in the course: “It has encouraged me to take my writing a lot more seriously and in the short space of time I have noticed my work has already improved. As a result of the course I feel a lot more confident to apply for roles in the future which require copy-writing skills, [as] I feel that this is a skill I am now confident to promote to potential employers.”   

The workshops will include sessions on feature writing and live reviews by Jazzwise writer and BBC broadcaster Kevin Le Gendre; an insight into the history and development of the UK jazz and music press with Jazzwise editor-in-chief Jon Newey; and a workshop on online journalism and career development with Jazzwise editor Mike Flynn, which will include an interview with writer/broadcaster Kate Mossman, alongside input from other writers and jazz industry figures.

Several Write Stuff participants have gone on to have pieces published in The Guardian, The Wire and Jazzwise, as well as work within the wider jazz and broadcasting industry. This year’s participants will have their work posted on the Jazzwise and festival websites, and one review of particular merit will be published in a subsequent issue of Jazzwise.

To apply to take part, applicants should please submit by email a CV and completed application form (downloadable from the following web page: www.serious.org.uk/what-we-do/learning-and-participation/access/the-write-stuff ) which should contain a 300-word review of a gig/concert that they have recently seen, to learning@serious.org.uk with the subject line ‘The Write Stuff’. Applicants must be aged 18 to 25 and be available in London on the following dates: Friday 15 November (evening); Saturday 16 – Sunday 17 November and Saturday 23 – Sunday 24 November.

Photo by Emile Holba – Jaga Jazzist at the Royal Festival Hall