BKCM Jazz Leaders Fellowship — Fellowship

The BKCM Jazz Leaders Fellowship is an annual program of the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. It supports Black women and Black non-binary jazz vocalists and instrumentalists who live in the New York metropolitan area.

Fellows develop original music and their leadership practice through professional development, rehearsal access, performance, education and community engagement. The 2026–27 cycle is closed, and BKCM directs prospective applicants to check back for the next round.

Benefits & funding

A $12,500 unrestricted award.
Free access to BKCM rehearsal spaces.
Professional-development opportunities across BKCM administrative departments.
An additional $1,250 in support for one public performance at BKCM.
Potential additional paid work in mentoring, substitute teaching, teaching, advisory-panel participation, and concert or event curation.

Eligibility

Applicants must be Black women or Black non-binary jazz musicians, whether vocalists, instrumentalists or both.
Applicants must be at least 21 years old.
Applicants must reside in the New York metropolitan area.
Full-time students are not eligible.
BKCM encourages applications from all career stages and states no nationality or degree requirement.

Can you apply?

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Residence required
USA
Age requirement
≥ 21 yrs

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Application process

1
Review the eligibility rules, fellowship responsibilities and latest package on the official program page.
2
When the annual April–May application window opens, complete the official application linked from that page. The 2026–27 form is no longer available because the cycle has closed.
3
Finalists for the latest cycle were required to attend a live interview on June 29, 2026.
4
Selected fellows were required to attend a July 9 reception and then an in-person planning meeting in August.

Program timeline

Applications opened for the latest cycle.
April 15, 2026
Application deadline.
May 30, 2026
Finalist live interviews.
June 29, 2026
Reception for selected fellows.
July 9, 2026
Fellowship begins.
August 1, 2026
Fellowship ends.
July 31, 2027