All Hear January 2023
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Hello! Welcome to All Hear,
The Everything List for Audio Opportunities.
My name is Talia, I’m an audio producer based in London. When I entered the industry a couple of years ago, I really struggled to find opportunities. Eventually I started compiling a small list of resources, gathering together bits and pieces that people shared with me (thanks especially to Suzie McCarthy and Nina Garthwaite).
One of the things I love most about the audio industry is the generosity. People are typically so willing to share, I think because there’s not really enough money in it for huge egos (which all the TV execs who flocked to podcasting are fast finding out). But, as grateful as I am for everyone who helped me, I don’t think access to resources should depend on who you know.
So over the past year, I’ve been putting together this resource list for the audio industry. Now, with the generous support of Transom.org, I’m releasing this monthly newsletter. In each issue, I’ll gather opportunities with upcoming deadlines from across the industry and around the world — grants, residencies, awards, calls for pitches and events spanning journalism, podcasting, oral history, sound art and more.
Why a newsletter? Well, on a practical level it gives me a concrete deadline each month to make sure all of the resources are up to date. It also means that you don’t have to worry about checking the resource list so often for looming opportunities. And, I can highlight materials that I believe are really worth applying for — especially for more entry level creators.
Each month, I’ll spotlight these opportunities based largely on their efforts towards accessibility and inclusivity. I will always make sure at least one of these is open to international applicants. You can also find these on Transom.org. Then, at the end of the newsletter, I will list other upcoming opportunities by geographic region.
What better way to kick off the Spotlights than with Transom’s own international opportunity: a call out for “Small, Random, and Meaningful” audio.
An international call out for “Small, Random, and Meaningful” short pieces in English. Transom is looking for (ideally) finished pieces around 15 minutes or less, however they are also open to works-in-progress, and can make exceptions on length. Selected applicants will receive between $2,000-$8,000 for the piece, but producers retain 100% ownership. The exact fee is based on the nature, length, and complexity of the finished piece. Transom will offer distribution and editorial support. Submissions are judged on artistic merit, artistic excellence, and impact. You can only submit one pitch, and the piece must not have had “significant exposure.” There is no fee to apply.
The deadline is 24th February.
I have looked at a lot of audio industry resources, and I can say with confidence that opportunities like this do not come about often. When I was looking for funding to continue my list and write this newsletter, Transom was the first place I went to. They are dedicated to the craft of audio, and since their inception the organisation has been committed to platforming new voices, and broadcasting work that doesn’t quite fit anywhere else. You can read more about their mission here.
The main reason I think this Transom Specials opportunity is unique is that they back pay fairly for a finished piece of work. Bar awards (which are often expensive and time consuming), opportunities for finished pieces are few and far between. I’ve spoken to a lot of creators recently who have made pieces they are proud of — maybe even their first ever piece — but then they don’t know what to do with them. Typically, calls for pitches are seeking unrealised ideas or works in progress so they can have editorial control from an early stage. This is a brilliant chance to find those wandering pieces a good home (that said, Transom can also offer editorial and technical help for in-progress works, if needed).
The call out is promisingly broad — submissions can be stories, essays, sound portraits, intimate interviews, found sound, fiction pieces, sound art, multimedia works; “whatever — as long as it’s good listening.” The one small caveat I would note is that Transom is an American organisation and Transom Specials are curated by their editorial team and advisors from the industry — a panel which, at the moment, is made up exclusively of Americans. However, Transom’s previous shows do feature a good range of styles. Plus, one of the judging criteria for submissions is “are we hearing something new?” So, even more reason to challenge their American sensibilities!
All in all, Transom Specials is an incredibly exciting opportunity. It’s international (albeit only for pieces in English); it’s free to apply; it's open to people of all levels; the application is short; it pays well and it supports independent, creative, experimental work. And as always at Transom, ownership remains with the maker. It really doesn’t get much better than that.
Reach out to editorial@transom.org if you have any questions.
Tribeca Audio Storytelling
An arts festival with a division for Audio Storytelling. They’re looking for narrative-driven audio, fiction or nonfiction. International applicants are welcome, but they only accept English-language pieces. Projects must be 10 - 90 minutes in length, they can be episodic/serialised or stand-alone pieces, and must not have been made publically available.
Entries cost $40 before the final deadline of 22nd February.
Honestly, I was hesitant to include Tribeca in this spotlighted list. It began as a film festival in 2002 and expanded gradually into other mediums, until in 2021 it introduced an Audio Storytelling division. One of the entry requirements for Tribeca Audio Storytelling is that work submitted must be unpublished in order to premiere at the festival (clearly a hangover from its film festival roots), which can be pretty limiting when applied to the audio field.
However, Davy Gardner and the Tribeca team have clearly made great efforts to make the Audio Storytelling programme more accessible and to encourage independent creators. This year, the Audio Storytelling division has all new eligibility requirements. The most notable change is separate fiction and nonfiction categories for independent creators. In addition, independent projects can be made publically available anytime between May 10th and July 30th 2023, meaning it can be published a month before the festival in early June. Granted, it’s still not the greatest margin, but if you're producing a piece with flexible deadlines, or sitting on a piece without a home, it’s a great opportunity.
At the festival itself there is an Emerging Audio Artists Panel which celebrates all of the independent Official Selection creators. The live event allows them to showcase their work, celebrating the craft and building a community of independent creators.
Beyond the festival itself, Tribeca also offers a year-round opportunity for audio creators with their Tribeca Audio Premieres podcast. Throughout the year, a number of podcast series are featured as part of their Official Selection. Davy Gardner interviews the producers of these shows and airs the first episode on the Audio Premieres podcast. Official Selects are also awarded Tribeca Audio laurels (those little leaves you see on film posters when they win awards) as well as marketing support. If you are planning to launch a podcast, send the first episode to audiopremieres [at] tribecafilm [dot] com at least one month before release to be considered by Tribeca Audio’s curatorial team for an Official Select.
With its Audio Storytelling branch, Tribeca is applying the prestige of Hollywood and film awards ceremonies to the audio industry. It’s a big task, and the collision of worlds isn’t always harmonious, but behind the scenes is a very supportive team of people eager to champion independent creators. So don’t be intimidated by that prestige!
NOTE: For indie creators with questions about submission fees, email audiopremieres@tribecafilm.com
A paid podcast accelerator programme for four over-18, U.K.-based creators. The scheme involves an 8-month placement at either a BBC Production office or a production company in Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, Salford, Birmingham or London. Flexible working is possible. The salary is £26,446. This is not a completely entry-level role, they want you to have some experience in content creation. NOTE: At the time of publication, I could not verify the percentage of IP the creator will maintain. The deadline is 12th February.
Last year was the inaugural run of this programme, and it produced brilliant results. There’s been some restructuring to aid the creators. For example, whereas last year Audio Lab was a part-time opportunity, it now involves a 35-hour a week, full-time placement. What has not changed, however, is that the programme still offers incredible support, with a team of dedicated mentors, editors and producers to help realise your podcast idea.
If you are thinking about applying, I would really recommend having a listen to last year’s shows: The Museum of Bad Vibes by Hanna Adan, Colouring in Britain by Tommy Dixon; Who was Michael X? by Hamza Salmi, The Film We Can’t See by Adam Zmith, Blossom Trees and Burnt-Out Cars by Talia Randall and The Reset by Jade Scott. Listening is recommended partly because referencing their work in your application/interview will make it stronger, but mostly because they’re all great programmes. I particularly loved Tommy and Hanna’s.
What was clear from the 2022 cohort was all of the series are incredibly different from one another in style and scope. That’s encouraging because it indicates the creators were genuinely encouraged to develop themselves in the process. It also means they’re really interested in hearing original stories, so in your application don’t just imitate what you think the BBC wants to hear.
That being said, it’s obviously important to Audio Lab that you are the right person to tell the story. They are aiming to “reflect diverse voices from across the U.K. or your own authentic experiences”, and they’re specifically seeking “ideas reflecting ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, social class, disability, neurodiversity, religion, or where you live”, so if none of those topics resonate, this is perhaps not the programme for you.
While they do ask for some experience creating content, don’t let a lack of credits put you off completely. The entire point of this programme is to foster creativity and innovation and “amplify next-generation podcasters”. Early career producers — who haven’t spent years carving out a specific style — are much more likely to invent new ways of creating. In that way, relative inexperience can actually be a great asset; when you don’t know the rules of a medium, your instincts are more likely to be form-bending and innovative, so trust them!
For more information, there is a webinar with more information on the 25th January, sign up here.
More Opportunities:
Open to International Applicants
The Ferriss – UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship - fifteen $10,000 reporting grants for journalists reporting in-depth print/audio stories on the science/policy/business/culture of psychedelics. Students are eligible as long as they have three work samples. You must have a well researched and compelling story pitch, three published/aired work samples, a resume and two letters of reference.
The deadline is 31st January.
Inherited - the climate justice podcast is looking for pitches for their third season; the theme is earth, air, fire, water and ether. They allow priority for people aged 17-25. Their rate is $750 minimum, dependent on time commitment. The scope is broad, from conventional journalism to audio fiction to oral history. New producers are highly encouraged to apply — Inherited has resources to help with sound design/editing/whatever part of the process you need help with, just make sure to mention this in your application. Apply here (via google forms).
The deadline is 31st January, 11:59pm EST.
The Knight-Bagehot Fellowship - provides ten international, mid-career journalists to Columbia University with an intensive academic year to study business, economics and finance. They pay tuition, health insurance, and a $60,000 stipend. Each year, they usually take one or two radio/podcast reporters.
The deadline is 31st January, 11:59 EST.
Wave Farm Residency - an international open call for a ten-day residency for sound artists. It takes place in the Catskill Mountain Park in upstate New York between June and November. Each resident will receive a $1,000 artist fee. In 2023 the programme is focusing on “feral frequencies,” prioritising proposals that employ less commonly used frequencies within the radio/electromagnetic spectrum. One resident will win The Rising Tide Award — a $1,500 prize to support an applicant with “a multidimensional life and background.”
The deadline is 1st February.
Elevate for podcasters - a programme for disabled, narrative fiction, and non-fiction podcasters. They offer $10,000 grants that can be used for professional development, show marketing, equipment, accommodations, IP licensing and living expenses. The grants must be used within six months. They also have mentorship and quarterly check-ins. They have certain conditions for eligibility — specifically on past experience as this is not an entry-level opportunity. Take this questionnaire to see if you qualify. Applications are open “for the next month at least” according to their team.
Leipziger Hörspielsommer Short Audio Play Competition - a free-to-enter competition for short audio pieces under 3 minutes. Pieces in German, English, Russian or French are accepted.
The deadline is 1st February.
Leipziger Hörspielsommer International Audio Drama Competition - a free-to-enter competition for short audio pieces under 45 minutes. It is for amateur creators, with no more than three published pieces. German, English, Russian or French pieces are accepted. You can only submit one piece per year.
The deadline is 1st February.
Alternate Realities Commission - an opportunity to create a non-fiction installation as part of Sheffield Doc Fest, which this year runs from 23rd - 28th June. They are looking for work which “break[s] the boundaries of traditional documentary practice”. They accept multiple disciplines, including audio/sound installations. They welcome international artists; entry-level artists are encouraged. Entries cost £35+VAT; there are discounts for students/applicants from the DAC list of ODA Recipients. See eligibility requirements here.
The deadline is 3rd February, noon GMT.
Edward R. Murrow Awards - journalism awards. They have four audio specific categories (Audio Newscast, Audio Feature Reporting, Audio Hard News and Podcasting). Students can also apply to all categories. For radio, it costs between $110 and $255 depending on membership status and size of the network. For students, it’s $40 per entry (or $20 for members). Non-English works are accepted provided they have subtitles.
The deadline is 7th February, 5 p.m. EST.
The New York Festivals Radio Awards - international awards for radio. They have various categories, including audio books, documentaries and podcasts. For students, they have categories too: interview, documentary, drama, journalist, radio station, content. It’s extremely expensive to apply, $320 for a single programme and $450 for a series. Their student awards are cheaper (but still very expensive): $75 for a single episode and $150 for a series. Ask your university if they’ll cover it.
The deadline is 31st January.
Prix Marulic - an annual festival in Croatia of international audio plays and documentaries based on texts from literary and cultural heritage (e.g. dramas, mysteries, myths, poems, epics, diaries, letters and other literary forms). Their motto is “Old Texts Revisited” — an old text in this context is considered to be pre-dating 1953. Submissions in any language are welcome, with an English transcript. They have three categories: short form, documentary and fiction. The winners receive €3000, apart from the short-form winner who receives €1500. Register here. Regulations here (NOTE: they have very specific audio requirements + naming conventions).
The deadline is February 9th.
IFC Call for Proposals - The International Features Conference is seeking international submissions in any language of factual audio storytelling. Submissions must be 60 minutes or less and you must provide a transcript. If selected, you are not paid as it is not an award, but your work will be listened to and dissected at the conference, which this year is 21-24th May in Reykjavik, Iceland.
The deadline for submissions is 17th February.
The Drum Awards - awards for online media. They have a Podcast of the Year section. They have a sliding scale of entry costs from £420 to £122 per entry (VAT inclusive), depending on when you apply and how many you submit (the more you submit, the cheaper it becomes). Drum members receive 20% off, charities receive 40% off.
The early bird deadline is 23rd February.
Sound of the Year Awards - awards for sounds! They have nine categories, including Best Natural Sound, Most Unpleasant Sound and Best Imagined Sound. They also have a new Children's Category this year. All sounds must have been recorded/made/heard within a year of submission. Entry is free and winners will receive a LOM microphone.
The deadline is 28th February, 6 p.m. GMT.
Open to U.S.-based applicants
Pulitzer Prize - a prestigious award for American journalism, not intended for entry-level. They have an Audio Reporting category, which awards “deep and revelatory reporting in the public interest.” All forms of audio storytelling, from podcasts to radio broadcasts, are eligible, but it seems like they must be made with a U.S. audience in mind. Independent U.S.-based producers can apply (the rest of the awards are for news organisations only). See more guidelines here. Submissions cost $75.
The deadline is 25th January, 11:59 p.m. ET.
Nieman Fellowship (for U.S. citizens) - a residency offered to up to 12 journalists who are U.S. citizens working in any medium. Those selected spend two full semesters at Harvard auditing classes. Fellows must speak, read and write English fluently. Selected applicants will receive a stipend of $80,000 over the nine-month period to cover living costs, along with accommodation. To be eligible, you must be a working journalist with at least five years of full-time media experience. You must submit two essays; a professional profile and study plan summary; work samples and three letters of recommendation. There are no age limits or academic prerequisites, and a college degree is not required.
The deadline is 31st January.
Funds for Investigative Journalism - FIJ offer grants of up to $10,000 three/four times a year (they average around $5,000) for investigative journalism. All journalists can apply, but most are freelancers. Pitches for radio stories are welcome. International reporters are applicable BUT there must be a “strong U.S. angle involving American citizens, government, or business,” and all stories must be published in English in a U.S.-based media outlet. For that reason, I’ve put it in the U.S. category. The next deadline is 31st January, 2023. In rare cases, they provide expedited review for proposals that you can prove are extremely urgent. There are also rolling reviews for stories that explore threats to democracy in the U.S.
The Dart Awards for Journalism and Trauma - awards focused on journalism about “the impact of violence, crime, disaster and other traumatic events on individuals, families and communities.” They support local/independent producers applying. That said, all entries must have been originally published, aired or broadcast by news outlets based in North America or U.S. territories. For independents the entry fee is $25 (it’s $50 for news organisations) but if this is prohibitive get in touch and they will waive the fee entirely. They offer two cash prizes of $5,000.
The deadline is 2nd February, 5pm EST.
The Deadline Club Awards Contest - awards for news organisations in New York City. They have three Radio and Audio reporting categories (news, feature and investigative). Entrants must be employees/freelancers for news organisations with an office within a 50-mile radius of Columbus Circle in New York City. Early bird fee is $75 per entry (8 February deadline), whilst the regular fee is $100 per entry.
The final deadline is 14th February, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Best of West Awards - a journalistic competition for individuals or organisations based in the American West. They accept audio journalism/art submissions in most categories, but they also have a specific Audio Storytelling category. It costs $20 per entry. Non-English language entries accepted, provided there is an English transcript. The deadline is 15th February, 11:59 p.m (doesn’t specify timezone, but presumably PT).
SPJ New America Awards - celebrating public service journalism that explores and exposes issues of importance to immigrant or ethnic communities in the United States. They have an audio category. Entries may be in any language — however, English translations must be supplied for non-English entries. Entries cost $35 for SPJ members, $50 for non-members.
The deadline is 27th February, 11:59 p.m. ET.
Open to U.K.-based applicants:
Sandford St Martin - a free-to-enter award for U.K. media that explores religious, spiritual or ethical themes. They have a Radio/Audio category. All entries must have been broadcast for the first time between 1 January and 31 December 2022 and non-English content must be subtitled. See all eligibility criteria here and categories here. The deadline is 29th January, midnight GMT.
Nibbies: The British Book Awards - a competition for books published in the U.K. They have an audiobooks award in the Book of the Year category, for fiction and non-fiction. The awards are free to enter, but there are fees if you are shortlisted.
The deadline is 3rd February.
Charles Parker Prize - a free-to-enter award for student audio in the U.K.. You must be connected to a university, but you do not need to be taking an audio course. Pieces have to be less than 15 minutes. Ten pieces are shortlisted and the top five are awarded a slot on BBC Radio 4 as part of the New Creatives programming.
The deadline is Friday 4th February.
Audio and Radio Industry Awards (ARIAS) - industry awards held by the Radio Academy. Many of these awards are not aimed at entry-level but they do have a Best Independent Podcast, Best New Presenter and a Grassroots Award. It costs £60 to enter and you must be a member of the Radio Academy (which costs £36 a year). The Radio Academy also offers bursaries so if this is too expensive for you contact them to see what options there are. NOTE: The ARIAS have been criticised for promoting “discriminatory content,” read more here.
The deadline is 7th February.
The Wincott Awards - free-to-enter awards for financial journalism. They have an Audio Journalism category, with a reward of “up to £5,000.” International applicants are welcome but keep in mind the work is meant to be intended for a U.K. audience. They have a Young Journalist of the Year category for the best individual journalist under the age of 30, working in any medium, and they offer £1,500 to the winner.
The deadline is 24th February.
That’s it for this month! Thanks for subscribing.
If you have any upcoming resources you can submit them via this form or via email to allhear [at] transom [dot] org. The next newsletter comes out on Tuesday 21st February so for any opportunities due in late February/March, please reach out before 10th February.
If you want to support this work you can donate to Transom. The newsletter is edited by Jennifer Jerrett and Sydney Lewis.
Copyright © Talia Augustidis, all rights reserved.
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