Xilhu Ayebaitari Ese awarded AZ Mag creative grant in collaboration with DJ Mag

AZ Magazine has announced the first five recipients of its 2020 Creative Fund. 

Five recipients have been chosen by AZ Mag, an award-nominated online community and platform for Queer Trans Intersex Black People & People of Colour (QTIBPOC), following a successful fundraiser in 2020. A further five recipients will be announced at a later date. 

Each recipient of the grant will receive £1000 to produce a piece of art or further a creative pursuit. The chosen recipients are Xilhu Ayebaitari Ese, James Indigo, Black Mind, Tayris Mongardi, Kandace Siobhan-Walker. 

As part of DJ Mag’s ongoing collaboration with AZ Mag, we will be sponsoring and mentoring one recipient, Xilhu Ayebaitari Ese to create a Dance music project. Xilhu – whose artist name is Ayebaitari – will be using the grant to launch a new project, Queer Rave: a community project that celebrates and represents queer, female and genderqueer Drum & Bass DJs.

Xilhu is a DJ, video artist/editor, performance artist and creative, who aims to develop Queer Rave as an opporunity to “reimagine and and transform” the d&B scene as an inclusive and open space that is accepting of all genders and sexualities. 

“Queer Rave is here to give a platform, recognition and empowerment to these DJs,” says Xilhu. “As well as a connected network of queer ravers and community.”

Queer Rave will use its AZ Mag creative grant to create a live streaming platform for DJs, and to curate artist-based content and radio shows. The grant will go toward purchasing equipment required for the project to take off. DJ Mag will be providing ongoing mentorship and facilities to Queer Rave throughout its development. 

Those interested in getting involved with Queer Rave should send a 30 min d&b/jungle mix to [email protected]. You can follow Queer Rave on Instagram.

Learn more about the AZ Creative Fund and its recipients here.

Earlier this year, in collaboration with AZ Magazine, writer Isaac Eloi wrote a feature for DJ Mag about queering the arts, and taking up space, for a bolder tomorrow.