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The Chicago Public Library (CPL) has announced the opening of applications for the Renaissance Project’s DJ Scholar-in-Residency, a program supported by the Mellon Foundation. This initiative is designed to provide an opportunity for an experienced DJ, music producer, or musician based in Chicago to engage with African American archival materials. These materials are housed in the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection at the Carter G. Woodson Regional Library and Special Collections at the Harold Washington Library Center.
The residency will run from April 28 to July 18, 2025, and aims to inspire new music and programming that draws from CPL's archival collections on Black history. The selected DJ Scholar-in-Residence will be tasked with curating a list of music related to these collections and remixing them for public performances.
"The intent is to find inspiration from themes in CPL’s archival collections on Black history and curate a list of music directly from or related to the collections," states CPL. Programming will focus on presenting new music and sounds that explore Black Chicago history.
Applicants must be residents of Chicago with over two years of public performance experience as DJs or have a background in sound production. They should also possess their own equipment and be able to spend six to eight hours weekly researching within CPL's archives.
The residency offers several benefits including research support from CPL archivists, program development assistance, an $8,000 stipend for 12 weeks, and an $800 budget for workshop materials. Mentorship opportunities with a local DJ are also available if desired.
Preferred candidates should have knowledge of Black music's role in Chicago’s history and communities as well as experience teaching or conducting workshops. Expectations include integrating historical insights into a DJ format for public listening sessions and performing at events such as a "Liberation Listening Party."
Applications close at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, April 3, 2025.
