Artist callout: Plug It Up festival seed commissions

We’re teaming up with Bradford Sound Wom*n Network for Plug It Up, a new sonic arts festival taking place at Theatre in the Mill from 17-19 October as part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.

To support Bradford-based women and minority gender sound artists to develop their own work, we’re super-excited to be offering three seed-funding commissions of £500 for new works to be shared at the festival.

Read on for the full callout…

Plug It Up is a sonic arts festival being produced by Bradford Sound Wom*n Network as part of the Bradford 2025 City of Culture programme, in partnership with Yorkshire Sound Women Network.

Plug It Up will take place from 17-19 October 2025 at Theatre in the Mill, Bradford and will offer women and people of marginalised genders from local communities opportunities to get hands-on with sound-based creativity, gain new skills and knowledge, meet like-minded people and be inspired by high profile sound artists.

Plug It Up is offering seed-funding commissions to three Bradford-based women and minority gender sound artists to develop their own artistic practice in sound.

If you are selected, you will be commissioned to develop a new work of electronic music or sound installation to be performed or presented in some way at the Plug It Up festival. The likely date for this is Sunday 19 October.

We are commissioning three new pieces for a one-day event celebrating feminist perspectives in sound, with a focus on climate. The works can take various forms: performance, installation, sculpture, or text-based, but must have sound or sound theory at their core. They should explore the intersection of feminism and climate, amplifying the voices of women in environmental activism or challenging the status quo. Works can be sounding or non-sounding, engaging with sound through live manipulation, field recordings, or poetic expression.

Submissions should be suitable for a 15-minute presentation, portable, and use mono or stereo sound (multichannel setups are not supported, though R&D for binaural or multichannel is welcome). Presentations can take the form of a viewing, listening, or performance. The event will take place indoors, though analogue performances without wired tech can be performed outdoors.

Bradford’s industrial history, particularly in the textile and manufacturing sectors, has contributed to significant environmental degradation and social inequality, with working-class communities disproportionately affected by these challenges. It is an ideal location to explore the intersection of feminism, sound, and environmental justice. Women in Bradford have long been at the forefront of environmental activism and sustainable practices, addressing issues shaped by social inequality. We are calling for sound-based works that respond to climate issues, amplifying voices often underrepresented in climate discourse.

We are looking for expressions of interest for a proposed piece of work in its R&D phase for three months development alongside a mentor assigned by YSWN, for showcasing at the Plug it Up festival.

If selected, you’ll receive a fee of £500 for your participation in the programme – including time developing, creating and performing/sharing your new sound work at the festival.

Each selected creator will benefit from three hours of mentoring delivered by one of YSWN’s freelance Associates (who include musicians, producers, sound engineers and DJs).

The Plug It Up seed commissions are open to women (cis or trans) and people of marginalised genders aged 18 and over – there is no upper age limit.

You will be based in the Bradford district. This means either living here permanently, or if you are a student, it is your previous/holiday address, or your term-time address. We particularly welcome applications from those of the global majority and Disabled people.

We welcome applications from people who have engaged in Bradford Sound Wom*n Network events and workshops as well as those who have not.

We aim to work with a diverse group of music creators whose work may encompass genres such as electronica, contemporary classical, urban, jazz and experimental musics.

To apply for a Plug It Up seed commission, fill out the following Google form, which asks questions about you, your music and how you hope to benefit from the seed commission:

Plug It Up application form

If you would prefer to submit a video application, please answer the questions from the form in a short video and send it, along with the requested music links, to info@yorkshiresoundwomen.com.

The closing date is 8pm on 30th June 2025.

A panel from the BSWN & YSWN teams will assess all of the eligible applications and be in touch with both successful and unsuccessful applicants by 14th July 2025.