Residency Proposal Initiative

Iris Collective is launching a Residency Proposal Initiative to create an equitable means for Iris musicians to participate in program development and community-driven projects. Up to two residencies will be chosen and developed from the submitted proposals for the 2024/2025 season.

The purpose of these proposals is to:

  • Increase the collective input into Iris’ programmatic decision-making

  • Increase musician involvement in community-driven work

  • Fully realize Iris’ impact goal to visibly increase both artistic and social engagement within the greater Memphis community

What to Include in your Proposal:

  • A brief description of proposed activities including project goals

  • Suggested community partner(s)

  • Repertoire examples

  • Ensemble details (number of musicians & instrumentation)

    • While specific personnel may be submitted for groups designing programs together, it is not required

  • Basic budget

What Not to Include in your Proposal:

  • Detailed activity schedule

  • Full lesson/activity plans

Residency Guidelines

  • Main activities should take place in a 4-6 day window

  • Project budget should not exceed $15,000

  • Must include a minimum of one Shelby County community partner

    • Review Iris’ current partner list below

    • Proposals that include new partnerships will also be accepted

  • Must include participatory and performance elements

  • Should reflect the mission of Iris Collective, the season’s theme, and at least one of Iris’ stated values

  • Iris musicians may choose to submit a proposal individually or work together in a group

    • Only groups containing at least one Iris Collective rostered musician are eligible

2024/2025 Season Theme– “Beyond Borders”

The season’s programming thread explores the artistic and humanitarian benefits achieved when dividing lines of culture, society, and art are blurred to inspire creativity and unity.

Decision Making

Residencies will be chosen based on the input of a musicians committee, the Iris staff, a constituent committee composed of community representatives, board members, and donors/supporters, and the involved community partners. The included rubric will be used to evaluate the proposals. Each reviewer will rank the submitted proposals. The rankings will determine the order the projects are presented to the potential community partners. If the community partner is not interested in or able to pursue the collaboration, the project proposal with the next highest rating will be considered, and so forth.

Musician Committee

Up to 8 Iris musicians may serve on the decision committee. Only musicians who do not plan to submit a proposal for that coming season should plan to serve on the committee. No more than two musicians per instrument family should serve. Committee members will be determined from the list of nominees by an anonymous vote open to all Iris musicians.

Committee members will be notified on December 15th and have until January 19th to submit their evaluations. An honorarium of $200 will be offered to each committee member. New musician committees will be formed each year.

Assessment Rubric

  • Clarity of Purpose: Is the project’s main purpose well-defined and easy to understand?

    Relevance: Does the project reflect Iris’ mission, season’s theme, and at least one of Iris’ stated values?

    Measurable Objectives: Are the objectives of the project specific, measurable, and achievable?

    Innovation and Creativity: Does the proposal demonstrate innovative and creative approaches to music engagement?

  • Collaborative Partner(s) Identification: Is a community partner(s) clearly identified and appropriate for the project’s objectives?

    Community Engagement: Does the proposal allow for effective input regarding planning of the project’s activities and impact from community partner(s) and their constituents?

    Expected Impact: Are the potential positive outcomes and impacts on the community clear and realistic?

  • Timeline and Milestone: Can the proposal be executed within a realistic timeline that fits within the guidelines and include opportunities for pre and post engagement touchpoints?

    Resources: Are the required resources (financial, human, material) well-defined and feasible?

    Accessibility: Are the planned activities participatory in nature and inclusive in their accessibility?

  • Music Selection: Is the choice of repertoire suitable for the project’s objectives and target audience?

    Musical Innovation: Does the project incorporate innovative musical elements approaches?

  • Budget Clarity: Is the budget comprehensive, well-detailed, and directly aligned with the project’s goals?

    Cost-Effectiveness: Does the proposal demonstrate a cost-effective use of resources for the desired outcomes?

Timeline

October 2, 2023, 5:30pm CST          Residency Proposal Initiative Kick-Off (via zoom)

November 15, 2023        Nominations for Musician Committee Open

January 4, 2024     Proposal Submission Deadline

Dec. 7 - Dec. 14, 2023   Committee Member Open Vote

Jan. 5 - Jan. 19, 2024  Evaluation Period

February 1, 2024            Successful Proposal Applicants Notified

Spring 2024                     Announcement of Residencies