Program

New Music Inc.

New Music Inc. is a city-specific incubator initiative supporting small-budget, artist-led new music groups and organizations through pivotal stages of organizational growth.

Applications Under Review

Guidelines
Programs
Program

New Music Inc.

New Music Inc. is a city-specific incubator initiative supporting small-budget, artist-led new music groups and organizations through pivotal stages of organizational growth.

Applications Under Review
Connect with Us

Partners

New Music Inc is supported by Walder Foundation (Chicago) and The Music Man Foundation and Perenchio Foundation (Los Angeles). Prior regional cohorts were made possible by The New York Community Trust (New York City), The Robert W. Deutsch Foundation and The Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Foundation (Baltimore).

Pictured above: 2023 New Music Inc. – Chicago grantee Pleiades, credit: Ricardo E. Adame

About New Music Inc. 

New Music Inc. is a city-specific incubator initiative supporting small-budget, artist-led new music groups and organizations through pivotal stages of organizational growth. Spanning 18 months, the hands-on program combines financial investment and peer-to-peer learning within a cohort environment that includes leaders who represent a range of music genres, neighborhoods, and backgrounds. A local Program Coordinator facilitates the initiative, working closely with participants to help them reach their goals.

Originally launched in 2020 as the New Music Capacity Building Program in New York City, New Music Inc. has since expanded to Baltimore, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Thanks to generous support from Walder Foundation, the upcoming cycle of New Music Inc. will support a second cohort of new music groups and organizations in Chicago. The Program Coordinator for New Music Inc. – Chicago is brand strategist and arts executive Kori Coleman.

Applications for New Music Inc. – Chicago are now open and will close on February 26 at 11:59pm CT. Click here to view the program guidelines. The guidelines will also be available on the application form here.

New Music USA is offering the following services for applicants:

 

New Music Inc.- Chicago: FAQs

  • What is New Music Inc.?

    New Music Inc. is a city-specific incubator initiative supporting small-budget, artist-led new music groups and organizations through pivotal stages of organizational growth. Spanning 18 months, the hands-on program combines financial investment and peer-to-peer learning within a cohort environment that includes leaders who represent a range of music genres, neighborhoods, and backgrounds. A local Program Coordinator facilitates the initiative, working closely with participants to help them reach their goals.  

    With generous support from the Walder Foundation, this cycle of New Music Inc. will support 12 new music groups and organizations based in the city of Chicago. The Program Coordinator for New Music Inc. – Chicago is brand strategist and arts executive Kori Coleman. 

  • Who can apply?

    There are four main elements of the program:  

    1. Financial support: An $8,000 general operating grant 
    2. Cohort learning: 8 cohort gatherings over the 18-month program (3 in-person) 
    3. Peer-to-peer mentorship: 4-6 meetings with a designated mentor and 4 1:1 sessions with the Program Coordinator 
    4. Travel and Learning exchange: Up to $5,000 to collaborate with New Music USA alumni organizations from other cities’ cohorts (New York, Baltimore, Los Angeles) 
  • Is my organization eligible?

    We welcome applications from small-budget, artist-led music organizations in Chicago with an average annual operating budget of between $10,000 to $250,000 over the last 3 years. Types of eligible organizations include, but are not limited to, performance groups, ensembles, collectives, record labels, festivals, presenters, and venues. A 501(c)3 status is not required 

  • My organization is based outside of the Chicago city limits. Can we apply?

    No. The program is only open to organizations that are based in and do work in the city of Chicago.

  • Does my organization need to be a 501c3?

    No, 501(c)3 status is not required. If your organization is not a 501(c)3, fiscal sponsorship is also allowed and encouraged, but also not required 

  • I am an individual artist. Can I apply for New Music Inc.?

    No. The New Music Inc. program is only open to artist-led music organizations, collectives, or groups. Individual artists may not apply.

  • What is the application like?

    Applicants are asked to provide information about their organization (history, mission, organization narrative, structure), work samples, examples of past programming, and financials. Please see the Program Guidelines for more details.

  • How do I access the application? When does it open and close?

    The application is available online at
    https://newmusicusa.smapply.io/prog/new_music_inc_chicago

    The application opens on January 29, 2026 at 10am CT, and closes on February 26, 2026 at 11:59pm CT.

  • What is the program timeline for New Music Inc. - Chicago?

    Awardees will be notified of their selection in May 2026 with a public announcement to follow in early June. The program’s convenings will begin in June 2026 and will continue roughly every other month through November 2027.

  • What kind of work samples do you require?

    2 to 3 examples of your organization’s recent work that demonstrates the work of living creators. This could be work that you have commissioned, performed, or presented, depending on your organization. You may upload mp3, video, or image files, or provide links to YouTube/Vimeo examples.

  • Are there any media uploading specs I should be aware of?

    Our application system cannot upload files larger than 500MB, so please link to larger files through YouTube or Vimeo.

  • What are the review criteria?

    Applicants will be reviewed based on artistry, impact, and organizational readiness/capacity. For additional details about these criteria, please see the Program Guidelines.

  • What happens after I submit?

    Applications will be screened first by staff for eligibility and completeness. Applications will then move forward to a peer review process completed by panelists. Panelists will review each application based on the review criteria (artistry, impact, and organizational readiness/capacity), and will provide a score that will then be averaged to create a ranked list. The cohort of awardee organizations will be determined based on this ranked list.

  • There are multiple boxes for “biography” in the application form. Which do I choose?

    Please provide the organizational bio in the application form. You may leave the individual bio field blank.

  • My video work sample isn’t loading or I can’t see my video when I preview my application, what happened? What do I do?

    If you are uploading video work samples please prioritize .mp4 videos, using the most up to date software you have, as they will embed more seamlessly. If you are providing links to YouTube or Vimeo please be sure to provide “embed” links or conversely make sure your links are public. If you are providing links to password protected work samples, please make sure that you provide the password in the description of the work or at the tail end of your narrative, otherwise the panel will not be able to access your samples.

  • Where can I find the application?

    The application is available online at 
    https://newmusicusa.smapply.io/prog/new_music_inc_chicago

  • My video work sample isn’t loading or I can’t see my video when I preview my application. What happened? What do I do?

    If you are uploading video work samples please prioritize .mp4 videos, using the most up to date software you have, as they will embed more seamlessly. If you are providing links to YouTube or Vimeo please be sure to provide “embed” links or conversely make sure your links are public. If you are providing links to password protected work samples, please make sure that you provide the password in the description of the work or at the tail end of your narrative, otherwise the panel will not be able to access your samples.

  • How do I contact you if I have questions?

    For help with your application the following services will be available: 

    Application Webinar: February 5, 2026, 1pm CT, PDF of slides and Q&A responses 

     

     

Grantees

New Music Inc. - Los Angeles (2025)

Angel City Arts / Angel City Jazz Fest

Claremont, CA

Angel City Arts is a non-profit organization committed to cultivating and revitalizing jazz culture in Los Angeles by producing concerts by established and emerging music innovators who have brought forward a significant contribution to the evolution of jazz and improvised music.

Bridge to Everywhere

Los Angeles, CA

Bridge to Everywhere creates transcultural musical experiences that bring together contemporary musical styles from around the world in fresh and innovative ways that reflect our globally interconnected lives. We encourage collaboration, inspire empathy and curiosity, and celebrate the richness of our shared human journeys.

Brightwork newmusic

Pasadena, CA

Brightwork newmusic enlivens and expands contemporary classical music through performing cutting-edge works, presenting innovative programming, and mentoring the next generation of creative artists.

DC6 Singers Collective

Los Angeles, CA

DC6 Singers Collective is a Los Angeles-based vocal ensemble that reimagines classic and contemporary music through gospel-inspired harmonies and cultural authenticity, creating transformative experiences that preserve Black musical traditions while advancing new sound.

Laós Chamber Music

San Gabriel, CA

Laós Chamber Music is a local chamber music series offering free and public concerts in the San Gabriel Valley. Laós celebrates local musicians through musician-led curation and advocacy for the creation of new works by Los Angeles based composers.

Monday Evening Concerts

Los Angeles, CA

Founded in 1939 by Peter Yates and Frances Mullen in their modest Rudolf Schindler-designed Silverlake home, Monday Evening Concerts (MEC) is the world's longest-running series devoted to contemporary music. Originally envisioned as a forum for displaced European emigrés and virtuoso Hollywood studio musicians to sink their teeth into the most challenging solo and chamber music of the day (such as the works of Charles Ives, Alexander Scriabin, Erik Satie, John Cage and Béla Bartók), MEC has blossomed its way to international acclaim for its presentation of demanding, uncompromising and poetically-charged music – whether new or ancient.

Oracle Egg

Los Angeles, CA

Oracle Egg is an artist-run incubator supporting new and ambitious work by both emerging and established artists in the field of experimental music and performance. Central to our mission is our residency series, which grants 3 to 7 day of unrestricted access to our downtown loft space to develop new, boundary-pushing work.

Piano Spheres

Los Angeles, CA

Piano Spheres supports and encourages the composition and performance of major new works for the piano while, mentoring the next generation of emerging pianists. It enlarges the piano repertoire by commissioning new works and sustaining a concert series that focuses primarily on works by contemporary composers.

Resonance Collective

Los Angeles, CA

The Resonance Collective inspires and nurtures collective spirit by expanding our understanding of sound and music as a mystical experience. We create interdisciplinary theatrical narratives based on spiritual transformation for our Original Works program. We curate music from traditions around the world in the Golden Thread Concert Series. We educate musicians during the annual N.E.O. Voice Festival.

South Side Symphony

Inglewood, CA

Dr. Marcus Norris founded South Side Symphony with the idea “What if orchestras didn’t exist, and were invented today by a young Black man?” He describes the sound as “like if Quincy Jones grew up on 90s R&B and Rap.”

New Music Inc. - Baltimore (2023)

2640 Space

Baltimore, MD

2640 Space is a non-commercial, collectively operated events space in Charles Village that offers accessible, affordable rental space for social justice, grassroots, and performing arts events.

Blakwater Production House

Baltimore, MD

Blakwater Production House is a 3600 square foot creative sanctuary. The genesis of Blakwater stems from a vision by Husband and Wife power couple Kariz Marcel and B-FLY. Blakwater is here to establish a cultural pathway throughout the diaspora, using music, film, events, and the arts as mediums of expression and connection. This funding will help us to get the word out to the public about the services and events we offer.

Contemporary Arts Inc

Baltimore, MD

Contemporary Arts Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization co-founded in 1997 by Carl G. Grubbs, saxophonist, recording artist, educator and Barbara Harrell Grubbs, retired educator. Now in its 26th year of operation, the organization will utilize the funds from New Music USA to transition with a change in leadership and a look to increasing its efforts for sustainability in the coming years.

EPIC FAM Music

Baltimore, MD

Every Person Is Coming From A Memory EPIC FAM is a Baltimore, Maryland based entertainment & media company with a mission to bring national attention to the city's wealth of artists. The company's goal is to develop music, television and film projects featuring & highlighting Baltimore's unique flavor & boundless talent.

High Zero Foundation

Baltimore, MD

Founded in 1996 in Baltimore, High Zero Foundation produces more than 150 performances of experimental and avant garde music annually featuring performing artists from Baltimore, the United States, and around the world.

Le Mondo

Baltimore, MD

Based in downtown Baltimore, Le Mondo is an artist-run venue dedicated to the development, creation, and elevation of new performance work in Baltimore City.

Mind on Fire

Baltimore, MD

Mind on Fire is a chamber orchestra making music by living composers and an arts organization showcasing the talents of performing artists, building creative access and collaborative partnerships in Baltimore.

MRI Studios Inc

Baltimore, MD

MRI Studios Inc promotes the artistic growth, entrepreneurial development, and overall advancement of young and emerging music creatives through accessible and equitable platforms for learning, sustainability, and wholeness.

New Music Inc. - Chicago (2023)

a•pe•ri•od•ic

Chicago, IL

a•pe•ri•od•ic is a Chicago-based ensemble specializing in notated, acoustic, experimental music that explores the indeterminacy of various musical elements including instrumentation, structure, pitch, and/or duration.

Àkójọpọ̀ Music Foundation

Chicago, IL

Àkójọpọ̀ is dedicated to creating accessible means for Pan-African musicians to pursue their artistic visions.

Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians

Chicago, IL

The AACM’s mission is to uplift humanity and enhance cultural understanding through the celebration of Great Black Music, to cultivate young musicians in the practice of creative music, and to push the boundaries of contemporary music through composition and improvisation, while providing an environment that encourages the development of its member-artist.

Chicago Composers Orchestra

Chicago, IL

Chicago Composers Orchestra, one of the few orchestras worldwide to place exclusive focus on living composers, will shape a strategic plan to guide our growth over the next several years and ensure we steer mindfully toward our equity and sustainability goals while continuing to advocate for contemporary music and building a community of musicians, composers and audiences.

Crossing Borders Music

Chicago, IL

The mission of Crossing Borders Music is to use music to promote the dignity of people from all cultures. To this end, Crossing Borders Music shares moving music and compelling stories of people from under-represented cultures in a way that affirms and uplifts.

Hearing in Color

Chicago, IL

Hearing in Color is a Chicago-based organization dedicated to sharing the music and stories of communities that have been historically excluded from musical spaces. The New Music USA grant will be instrumental in helping us establish a successful business structure to promote and continue the work we do!

Lampo

Chicago, IL

Lampo will use funds from this program to identify new opportunities to improve development efforts, for long-term, organizational benefit.

LYNX Project

Chicago, IL (September 2023-June 2024)

Hailed by the Chicago Tribune for its "stirring contributions to the art song genre", LYNX Project is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that amplifies diverse voices through new song commissions, inclusive concerts, and educational programming. Founded in 2015, LYNX was formed to revitalize the genre of art song and share it with new audiences.

New Music Chicago

Chicago, IL

New Music Chicago (NMC) advocates for the importance of a vital, vibrant music scene in our city and its geographical region, serving emerging and established member artists with professional development, community building, and performance opportunities ranging from our monthly hybrid Presents series to the nationally-regarded Ear Taxi Festival.

NON:op Open Opera Works

Chicago, IL

NON:op Open Opera Works engages diverse Chicago and Illinois communities with experiential performances and projects where people use the arts to create a more just society.

Pleiades

Chicago, IL

Pleiades is a performance series focused on increasing the visibility of women, trans and non-binary artists and building community among femme and nonbinary performers from diverse backgrounds.

The Chinese Fine Arts Society (CFAS)

Chicago, IL

The Chinese Fine Arts Society (CFAS) is a Chicago-based organization dedicated to promoting the appreciation of Chinese culture, enhancing cultural exchange, and pursuing excellence in Chinese music, dance, and visual arts. CFAS plans to use the funding awarded by New Music USA towards staff development, fundraising initiatives, and strategic planning.

Windy City Ramblers

Chicago, IL

We will use the grant funds to finalize and release our recorded singles, ensuring they reach a wide audience through targeted marketing efforts. Additionally, we will chart four of our songs into brass band sheet music, specifically designed for educational use by high schools and colleges. This funding will also cover essential administrative and legal expenses, supporting both the growth of our music and the creation of valuable resources for educational institutions.

New Music Inc. - NYC (2023)

Batalá New York

New York, NY

Batalá New York is the premier all-women Black-led percussion ensemble, promoting Afro-Brazilian culture and empowerment of women through high energy, visually stimulating dancing and drumming performances.

Bergamot Quartet

New York, NY

Bergamot Quartet is fueled by a passion for exploring and advocating for the music of living composers with creative programming, community-oriented audience building, and frequent commissioning.

ChamberQUEER

New York, NY

ChamberQUEER highlights LGBTQ+ voices in classical music; creates intersectionally inclusive spaces; and applies a queer lens to the experience of classical music in the 21st century.

Irreversible entanglements

New York, NY

Irreversible Entanglements are a liberation-oriented free jazz ensemble formed in 2015 by saxophonist Keir Neuringer, poet Camae Ayewa, bassist Luke Stewart, trumpeter Aquiles Navarro, and drummer Tcheser Holmes.

LayeRhythm Productions, Inc.

New York, NY

LayeRhythm Productions, Inc. (LPI) highlights freestyle dance and music voices under-recognized in the traditional performing arts landscape. The generous New Music USA funds will be used for musical capacity building geared toward street and club dance styles.

Pathos Trio

New York, NY

We as Pathos Trio plan to use our 2023 New Music Inc. Grant funds towards expanding on booking more live, in-person concerts with presenters and venues, and towards general operating expenses in order to keep our ensemble up and running, which in turn would then help ease our overall financial burdens in realizing our upcoming commissions, projects, and educational programs to their fullest potential.

Pique-nique Recordings

New York, NY

Inspired by Moki Cherry’s motto “the stage is home and home is a stage,” Pique-nique prioritizes community, curiosity, and unbridled creativity through events, music production, and distribution.

Resonator

New York, NY

Resonator provides administrative support and artistic development for self-managed artists so that they can focus on what matters to them: the art.

TAK Ensemble

New York, NY

Founded on the principles of curiosity, change, and collaboration, TAK is dedicated to commissioning new works and direct partnership with composers and other artists, and they have premiered hundreds of works to date. The ensemble has released seven albums to critical acclaim. In 2019, TAK their in-house media label, TAK editions, on which they have released several albums and seasons of the TAK Editions Podcast.

The Healing Project

New York, NY

The Healing Project is a constellation of creative works by a collective of artists aimed at dismantling structural violence and offering healing spaces.

New Music Capacity Building Program Grantees (Program on which New Music Inc. is based)

Partners

New Music Inc is supported by Walder Foundation (Chicago) and The Music Man Foundation and Perenchio Foundation (Los Angeles). Prior regional cohorts were made possible by The New York Community Trust (New York City), The Robert W. Deutsch Foundation and The Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Foundation (Baltimore).