05/26/2025
We’re thrilled to share that TIME’s music director Fuat Caner Tokgozol has received a prestigious Creative Engagement grant from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) for his oud project, which blends oud improvisation with jazz and Latin influences. This program supports New York based artists. Tokgozol’s project explores and expands the traditional role of the oud through new sounds and approaches shaped by New York’s diverse music scene. Integrating musical elements from genres like jazz, Latin music, and rock, and drawing inspiration from regions such as the Americas, the Balkans, and the Middle East, Tokgozol blends these influences into classical Turkish music. His compositions challenge traditional boundaries and invite listeners into new sonic territory. This project is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts, the Howard Gilman Foundation, and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation. LMCC’s Creative Engagement, Creative Learning, and UMEZ Arts Engagement programs provide funding and technical support to artists and organizations across NYC. Thank you, LMCC. More to come soon.
