UK Mexico CMF Scholarship Programme

UK Mexico CMF Scholarship Programme

On 4th March at the Guildhall Banquet as part of the State Visit of to the UK, The Rt Hon Lord Mayor of London and the President of Mexico Señor Enrique Peña Nieto together announced CMF’s first international scholarship which, in collaboration with the Anglo-Mexican Foundation and the Mexican National Fund for Culture, will shortly be awarded to a young Mexican artist. This is an extension of its established Artist Programme for UK based graduates and is part of the UK Mexico Year of Culture.

The selection process is underway with the grand final on 24^th April 2015 at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. For the inaugural year there will be one scholarship and it is expected that the programme will grow in subsequent years. The first period in London will be September – October 2015 followed by another visit June – July 2016. We are particularly looking forward to our Mexican concert as part of the Rhyme & Reason concert series on 14th October.

The international scholarship holders will benefit from CMF’s core professional development programme with workshops together with other CMF Artists. They will also be assigned artistic and business mentors chosen to offer the right support to each artist, and concert formats and venues will also be specially chosen to benefit the profile of the scholarship holders. Back in Mexico, the scholarship holder will be part of an outreach programme, using his or her new skills to benefit young musicians at home.

As well as offering the musicians involved an unparalleled opportunity to further their careers, the programme promotes and showcases cultural exchange between Mexico and the UK and as such is already gaining attention from a variety of foundations, corporations and potential sponsors and partners.

The programme is funded by the Anglo Mexican Foundation and the Mexican National Fund for Culture and Arts (FONCA). Further sponsors are being sought to ensure its expansion in future years.