Bob Dylan Center & UMPG Announce Inaugural Songwriter Fellowship

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Bob Dylan on stage in 1974. Photo: Barry Feinstein

The Bob Dylan Center (BDC) and Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) have joined forces to launch the new Bob Dylan Center Songwriter Fellowship.

Awarded to two recipients annually, the fellowship was created to mentor and develop aspiring songwriters. Each fellowship encompasses a $40,000 project stipend, public engagement and presentation opportunities, dedicated time in BDC’s Bob Dylan Archive to study Dylan’s creative process, roundtrip airfare to Tulsa and accommodations in the city, mentorship from UMPG songwriters and executives and recording time in Tulsa’s historic The Church Studio, the famous studio of Leon Russell.

In addition to being reviewed by BDC and UMPG executives, annual fellowship recipients will be selected by a global panel of artists including singer-songwriter Juliette Armanet, singer-songwriter Patty Griffin, singer-songwriter John Mellencamp, singer-songwriter Carla Morrison and rapper and songwriter Nas.

Now through Oct. 18, eligible talent from around the world can submit entries for fellowship consideration. To be eligible, entrants must be 18 years or older and unsigned to a publishing agreement of any kind at the time of the fellowship start date, May 1, 2024.

“The Bob Dylan Center Songwriter Fellowship is core to our mission of educating, motivating and inspiring visitors to engage their own capacity as creators, and we cannot wait to hear the entries from undiscovered talent around the world,” says BDC Director Steven Jenkins. “We are grateful to continue our partnership with UMPG—the world’s leading music publisher is already such a great supporter of the BDC—and we know that this panel of extraordinary songwriters will select deserving Fellows for our inaugural year.”

“This is an unprecedented opportunity to connect developing talent with the works of one of the greatest songwriters of all time,” says UMPG Chief Operating Officer Marc Cimino.”Beyond access to meaningful mentorship and special resources, the archives at the Bob Dylan Center are indescribable and I can only imagine how much creative inspiration they will draw. With the support of the fantastic BDC team and panel of world-class artists, we look forward to developing a new group of songwriters in this unique environment.”

Lorie Hollabaugh
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