At the beginning of May we opened applications to find the final five AZ Creative Fund recipients. After receiving hundreds of incredible applications we’re excited to finally announce the awardees.
TU3SDAY
TU3SDAY is a Birmingham (UK) based genderqueer, genre expansive electronic music artist and community organiser. As a Disabled and highly sensitive Producer/DJ – their music is made by, for and with people who live at similar intersections. Their debut EP LOVE + Rage, co-produced with Mono Joe, is a 4-track project that draws from House, Garage, Drum & Bass, and Gospel. LOVE + RAGE was distributed independently via Virgin Music Label and Artist Services and gained support from Jamz Supernova, Mary Anne Hobbs as well as DJ Mag and SWU FM.
As part of the AZ Creative Fund they will be creating their second EP with support from DJ Mag. They will focus on using hardware and AI to make the process accessible to them as ad isabled & highly sensitive Producer. The project will prioritise working with Neurominorities and re-imagining their existing music to bring it to reach the expansive audiences that exist in the world of electronic music.
Manny Alexandra
South London based singer-songwriter & guitarist, Manny Alexandra, steps onto the UK music scene a new-comer. With stripped back sounds, intimate and relatable lyrics and simple but catchy melodies, her Jazz and Neo-Soul roots combine with alternative R&B influences, to create a unique electro-acoustic R&B sound. Songs delicately crafted in her bedroom, just her and her guitar, finally make it to a public space in a signature style of songs as love letters.
AJ
AJ is a multi-disciplinary artist, story-teller, and event producer. Their current works explore the metaphysical, surreal, nature, and imagination, all in relation to conceptions of being, feeling, and our infinite evolution. Their work has been featured in ‘Blind Faith’ (2022), the Clapham Fringe (2021), Dublin Fringe Festival (2020), The Rise Collective Podcast (2021), the New Art Exchange (2020, 2021), and ‘Dark Hues Zine’ (2020, 2021).
Femi
Femi is a filmmaker currently working as a researcher in factual TV. When creating films, Femi creates films that act as a conduit for the exploration of people and our differences, similarities, nuances, and everything that makes us us. They use any medium they can, using spoken word, music and photos together to create projects that fulfill his ambition.
Josh Rivers
Josh Rivers is a podcaster, communications professional and public figure. He is the creator and host of Busy Being Black, the award-winning podcast exploring queer Black cultures, identities and experiences, which is regularly featured by Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon.
As a communications professional, Josh is the former communications manager for international LGBTQ human rights charity Kaleidoscope Trust, and volunteers as the head of communications for UK Black Pride, the world’s largest free Black Pride celebration. He was part of the founding team of Second Home, a cultural venue and creative workspace in East London, where he led on membership, communications and community-building; and the co-founder of Series Q, a network for LGBTQ entrepreneurs.
After a brief break post pride month, Busy Being Black launches new episodes from 1 October with support from the AZ Creative Fund. Alongside new episodes, the Busy Being Black artwork receives an update, which Josh says, “reflects the abundance and bliss the show has come to represent.”