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.
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Iris Collective’s mission is to facilitate meaningful connections with communities in greater Memphis through collaborative performances that produce creative and exceptional music experiences.
Our vision is that through Iris Collective’s shared artistic experience, the greater Memphis area will be a model for artistic and civic engagement for communities across the country.
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We value the transformative potential and collaborative nature of music.
We value a collective approach to artistic creation and decision-making, and we actively engage in dialogue with our partners and audiences to determine programming.
We value intentional collaboration with communities across the greater Memphis area and artists representing every genre and discipline.
We value artistic excellence in our musicians and collaborators.
We value moving past creative and societal divisions to embrace artistic expressions that are inclusive, exciting, and celebrate the diverse landscape of Greater Memphis.
We value shared leadership between our musicians, staff and board.
We value meaningful connections between Iris performers and audiences.
We value diversity and equitable practices across the organization.
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Performances that are created by/for the artistic and community partners with whom we collaborate
Performances that inspire curiosity and creativity in every audience member.
Education programs such as the Iris Artist Fellowship that help train young professionals of color to enter the field
Education programs that build upon the existing music education ecosystem of the greater Memphis area.
Interactive and educational programs for adults wanting to engage with music beyond traditional concert attendance.
Community events that use music to encourage dialogue and inspire action in the form of artistic and social engagement. music.
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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
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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?
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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?
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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?
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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?
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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