Starting out as a musician takes a lot of time and money. Costs of equipment, recording, marketing and touring can add up and create financial stress in an already stressful industry. Luckily for us in the UK, the music industry is a progressive and supportive one that try their best to support their creatives. It lives in the industry and the wider community.

There are many music grants available for local UK artists and back end creatives. From the council to the unions, the financial support is accessible for those lucky ones. We have compiled a list of organisations and grants to help push you through to the next step of your career.

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ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND

The Arts Council England (ACE) offers generous grants for the music community alongside other arts and culture projects. With help from the government and the National Lottery, they have two grants open for artists.

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National Lottery Project Grant

The National Lottery Project Grant takes applications for grants under £30,000 and over £30,000 supporting arts and culture including music within the UK. This grant is specifically for projects that involve community engagement. This grant is for artists and organisations working within the music industry already.  If you are looking for a grant that is for your development, the Developing Your Creative Practice Grant is your preferred application as you cannot apply for both at the same time.

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'Developing Your Creative Practice' Grant

The Developing Your Creative Practice grant is for those who are early on in their music career to support the development of their work. Grants of £2,000 to £10,000 are issued to help support your work and enable the community to engage with your work at a later date as a result of your grant. This will cover activities for up to one year in length. The grant has up to four deadlines per year, with their next round opening on 28 March 2023. The Musicians Union also offers support for union members that are applying for ACE Project Grants and ACE’s Developing Your Creative Practice fund. The service is provided to all union members based in the UK.

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PRS FOUNDATION

PRS Foundation is dedicated to helping fund the creation and performance of musicians based in the UK. They have supported over 7,300 new music initiatives, donating over £35 million since 2000. The music dedicated foundation has many grants and partnership programs available!

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The Open Fund for Music Creators

The Open Fund for Music Creators fund supports projects for artists who create music for themselves or others at different stages of their careers. These grants can be up to £5,000.

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Women Make Music

The Woman Make Music fund was created to encourage women, transgender and non-binary artists who may not have applied for PRS Foundation funding otherwise. It breaks down stereotypes and assumptions within the music industry to create and encourage role models for future generations. The grant is up to £5,000 just like The Open Fund for Music Creators, although it provides a platform to create a more inclusive industry.

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PPL Momentum Music Fund

The PPL Momentum Music Fund award grants £5,000-£15,000 to those musicians already immersed in their careers and want to get to the next level. The funds are provided by PRS Foundation with support from PPL, Arts Council of Wales, Creative Wales, Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Invest NI, with additional funding and support from Spotify.

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International Showcase Fund

For those who have been invited to perform at international showcasing festivals or conferences, the International Showcase Fund is for you. With this grant available, you can be supported for real-life attendance of events and virtual events for artists and bands. Writers and producers can also apply for this grant to attend songwriting camps online and in person for international collaboration, and creative and career progression. You can also apply for up to an extra £1,000 towards the cost of your manager to accompany you. For more information on the deadlines, head over to the PRS Foundation website for details.

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HELP MUSICIANS

The Peter Whittingham Jazz Award

The Peter Whittingham Jazz Award helps budding jazz artists or groups build a career within the music industry. If granted the award, you receive £5,000 in financial support for your music. This contributes to how the awardee would like to spend the grant on their career, whether it's recording, marketing or mentoring. They are also provided one-on-one business advice, tailored to your music career with industry professionals.

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MOBO Help Musicians Fund

The MOBO Help Musicians Fund is a fund specifically for BPOC musicians that make hip-hop, grime, R&B, soul, music of African origin, reggae, jazz or gospel music. Musicians can apply for up to £3,000 towards their music and receive business advice sessions like the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award. Although, the support goes further to ensure the well-being and long-term business development of those that receive the funds. Those who receive the MOBO Help Musicians Fund are provided with personal health consultations with British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) professionals. This covers all aspects of physical and mental health and specialist referrals if required. Although the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award applications are closed at the current time of posting, the MOBO Help Musicians Fund can be applied for at any time. Keep an eye on their website for application openings.

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YOUTH MUSIC

Youth Music offers the Youth Music NextGen Fund for young creatives to help put their ideas to fruition. Grants of up to £2,500 are awarded to help emerging musicians and behind-the-scenes creatives who participate and change the music industry. Applications are open for those who are 18-25 years old and up to 30-year-olds who identify as deaf or disabled and living in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. The NextGen Fund is currently taking applications with their next deadline in May 2023. Good luck with the grant applications! As many deadlines are coming up at the start of the new year, it's time to start writing up applications and keeping fingers crossed for the sweet financial support.

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