No! We welcome all forms of artistic expression. If you have a performance art piece, musical theatre group, etc. that you want to apply with, please submit it!

Yes. For example, you might lead more than one group and want to apply with your different ensembles. But we would only choose one of your groups if selected.

All submissions are reviewed by two Third Place [MusicFest] directors and two guest curators, all consisting of SE Michigan artists.

Guest curators are selected based on their discipline. For example: electronic, classical, new music, jazz, improvised music, experimental, etc. The curatorial quartet’s variety in artistic discipline allows them to wholly assess each submission.

For more information about who’s curated past festivals, check out our dedicated guest curator page.

We value originality in music and artistic expression, artistic excellence, and prioritize groups primarily from Southeast Michigan.

Our application asks for high quality, recent examples of your work, a description of what you plan to perform, and how you self-identify your genre.

• If you’re applying with a large group, it’s important to know that Third Place’s venues are typically medium to small in size with a few exceptions.

• We’ve done our best to accommodate visual projections in the past, but moving forward we cannot supply a screen or projector. Our shows are typically during daylight hours and many venues let in natural light making projection difficult. If you have a piece which requires projection, we ask that you provide your own equipment and be aware that it might not be fully dark during your set if selected.