“Innovation is the heart of successful music making.”
These are the words of Key of She’s Sarah Heneghan, in relation to the recent collaboration between herself and Dave Sheard of Footprints Jazz Club – a shiny, new, inclusive grassroots music project for the people of Sheffield.
Footprints Artist Development Programme is promising five lucky artists a 10 month course of creative development including mentorship, rehearsal space, recording, and performance opportunities and applications are open now, until 12 December 2025.
Footprints Jazz Club are pioneers of jazz and improvised sounds in Sheffield, and Key of She is an equally auspicious community project that hosts intimate jam nights, workshops and other events for women and minority genders.
The focus of the programme is entirely on inclusivity. As Dave said: “I think what’s important is that the wider community know that this project is just as much for them as it is for everyone else.
“We want to create a safe space for musicians to not just learn, but to hone their skill.”
Sarah added: “If we don’t have accessibility, then we don’t get diversity in our music scene.”
The idea was born of a recognition that the quantity of active musicians in the city is not being matched in terms of actual musical and musician output.
Unlike neighbouring Northern cities, Sheffield has no conservatoire and no dedicated jazz schemes. In fact, there has not been a single city-wide organisation to celebrate jazz or improvised music since the 1980s.
Lucy Lee works with Footprints Jazz, and was keen to emphasise that ‘the Footprints Artist Development Programme was born out of a recognition that, while Sheffield’s music scene is vibrant, many unsigned and early-career musicians face barriers to accessing mentorship, resources, and industry support’.
Because of the lack of any significant formal help in this sector, Sarah says that artists in Sheffield “take it into their own hands, [as they] don’t get the support and attention their projects deserve to be able to put on larger initiatives for the city.”
Footprints Jazz and Key of She have done exactly that; they’ve taken the future of the city’s musicians into their own hands.
Dave put it concisely: “I do what I do because no one else is doing it.”
However, Dave and Sarah do not stand alone. The programme is a collaboration between many talented Sheffield locals, including Manon McCoy, George Lloyd, and Jamie House (who produces the stunning design work for the project).
Artists looking to apply should head over to the Footprints Jazz Club website where, according to their page, the most important thing is that applicants have ‘a drive and passion to write, record, release and perform music’.
Some of the criteria to meet includes being a Sheffield resident over the age of 18 with the ability to play any music with improvisational elements – not just jazz.
Applicants can apply either as a solo artist, band, or group, as long as they have not already been signed to a label or manager and are not studying music full time.
This is due to the scheme being grassroots centric, and aimed at improving opportunities for developing artists.
“Footprints in its rawest form is a platform to showcase Northern artists.”
Applicants will have access to a myriad of creative opportunities, where they will be given the tools and instruction to truly hone their craft.
These opportunities include access to free rehearsal space, consistent mentoring from experienced local artists, the chance to professionally record and mix in the studio, and industry workshops and networking events – all topped off by a final, paid performance showcase in Sheffield.
Sarah said: “I want this programme to be a significant factor in the continued building of Sheffield’s jazz and improvised scene, but I want it to be Sheffield’s own flavour.
“Based on my own experience as a 13-year resident and musician of Sheffield, I hope it’s built on our DIY-sense of resourcefulness, playfulness, and our wonderful communities of musicians from different backgrounds and experiences, but, in time, with the backing of city-wide support from our council and residents.”
With a strong vision for the continued future of the programme, and a sincere drive for its success, Dave and Sarah have urged anyone who meets the criteria to go ahead and apply.
Successful applications will be announced on 1 February 2026.
Apply here: Artist Development Programme | FootprintsJazz
