ArtHouse Jersey has announced the second year of funding of the Channel Islands Touring Fund.
The fund is an initiative of ArtHouse Jersey and Guernsey Arts in association with Jersey’s Creative Island Partnership and funded by the Government of Jersey and Guernsey Arts.
The fund has been set up to better enable music artists from the Channel Islands to engage in professional development through touring opportunities, as well as promoting a wider cultural exchange between both Islands. Musicians from both Jersey and Guernsey are invited to apply to cover travel costs relating to touring to perform across the Channel Islands, Normandy and Brittany.
Musicians might include sound artists, classical musicians, bands, singer-songwriters for whom this fund can provide an opportunity to build up local audiences, take up invitations to access the French live music scene as well as develop inter-Island and French-Channel Islands exchanges with other music professionals in each region.
Applications can be received at any time on a rolling deadline until the fund expires and will be considered towards the end of each month.
Since 2023, the fund has supported over 18 bands from Jersey and Guernsey to take up inter-island touring opportunities at a range of festivals and venues on both islands including Chaos Festival, The Vault in Guernsey, La Beltane Festival in Sark and The Blue Note, St James and Bergefest in Jersey.
Jersey-based Greg Alliban of the group The Perchard’s Wall described their summer ‘24 tour supported by the fund: “The Perchards Wall embarked on a ‘24 summer tour jokingly named ‘The Channel Islands World Tour’, something of a pipe dream that was bought to life by the greatly appreciated funding from the Channel Island Touring Fund. Essentially a tour that saw the band play on all of the islands that make up the CI (even Herm!). Rather than being stuck playing gigs in Jersey every weekend we were able to gain further traction as a band and also money to put towards recording our album next year.
“It fills our hearts that local musicians are being supported to travel across the isles to do what we all love. We have all played in bands all our lives and this is by far the best funding and support we have ever received.”
Head of Programme for ArtHouse Jersey, James Tyson, said: “We are delighted that after piloting this fund over the past year thanks to the support of the Creative Island Partnership and Guernsey Arts we can now continue this much valued support to Jersey’s music sector enabling bands and musicians to take up opportunities to perform at venues and festivals both across the Channel Islands and now into France, one of Europe’s largest and most significant music markets. These kinds of opportunities can be transformative in enabling professional musicians and bands to get the kind of exposure and experience that’s critical in building their careers as well as truly putting the Channel Islands on the cultural map.”
Head of Arts Development for Guernsey Arts Russ Fossey, said: “After a successful pilot year, Guernsey Arts are thrilled to continue working with our partners at ArtHouse Jersey to provide opportunities for Guernsey musicians. This fund has over the last 12 months allowed grass-roots connections to be built between musicians across the Channel Islands, and we are now thrilled to expand those opportunities to France, giving our creatives the means to promote both Guernsey and Jersey talent while making new musical exchanges.”
Pictured: Sonia Killman performing at ArtHouse Jersey
