Dirtybird and Point Blank Partner on Equal Opportunity Scholarship

Dirtybird and Point Blank Music School join forces for the Equal Opportunity Scholarship centered on supporting BIPOC producers.

House and techno began in the Black and LGBTQ+ communities in Chicago and Detroit. Although much of that history was whitewashed during the boom of EDM, labels like Dirtybird have begun honoring the legacy and fostering new BIPOC artists in these two genres to help change the tides. To further this mission, they launched the Equal Opportunity Scholarship, a six-month program that offers support and mentorship to rising BIPOC artists in the scene.

The 2021 recipient, Sampson, has already begun to see some success with releases on imprints like Box of Cats since joining the program – and now Dirtybird is offering it for an eager producer once again. This year sees the behemoth brand team up with Point Blank Music School, which has previously partnered with Resident Advisor and DJ Mag to offer similar scholarship opportunities for rising stars in the scene.

This year’s recipient will receive the six-month course from Point Blank Music School, along with specialized mentorship on topics that range from career branding and marketing to artist development and more. Further, Dirtybird will provide any equipment that is deemed necessary to participate in the curriculum via a gear grant.

Speaking about the new partnership, Dirtybird founder and label head Claude VonStroke says the label is “excited to partner with Point Blank who they believe to be a premier education school for electronic music producers and mentor the next chosen scholarship winner over the next six months.”

Those interested in applying for the Equal Opportunity Scholarship will need to provide a few things. This includes a letter of recommendation, an essay, a video submission, and an interview. Head over to their website to apply by March 15 and stay tuned as the scholarship will be awarded on April 11.