Guide to funding and talent development opportunities for artists & musicians
There are 3 main national organisations that offer regular grant funding artists & musicians of all genres, while there are a series of regional, genre-specific and most sporadic funding from other organisations across the UK.
The 3 main organisations are:
Arts Council England
PRS Foundation
Help Musicians UK
Find out all the latest deadlines for their funding, and any other opportunity currently available on our resources page here.
Don’t forget, in addition to these national funders, Launchpad runs 2 deadlines per year, offering artists based in Yorkshire funding for recording, live opportunities and one to one creative & career advice.
Arts Council England
Project Grants are open on an ongoing basis, with applications upto £15k taking 6 weeks for decisions, and over £15k taking 12 weeks. Find out more from our webinar here and the fund homepage here.
Developing Your Creative Practice has approximately 4 deadlines a year, with funding of upto £10k. Find out more from our webinar here and the fund homepage here.
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PRS Foundation
Women Make Music & Open Fund for Music Creators have approximately 4 deadlines a year, and open to songwriters of all genres and backgrounds at different stages of their career, with up to £5k available. Find out more on the fund homepage here and here.
PPL Momentum Accelerator is a Yorkshire-only fund, with approximately 2 deadlines per year, is for artists at a crucial tipping point in their career, with up to £5k available. Find out more in our post with additional guidance here.
PPL Momentum Fund offers grants of upto £15k for artists to break through to the next level of their careers. Artists should have national recognition and a music industry tram to support them. Find out more on the fund homepage here.
There are also specific and occasional funds such as Oram Awards, Steve Reid Innovation Award, Power Up and Lynsey de Paul Prize alongside the Hitmaker Fund and Composer Fund specifically for producers & composers. See more on their website here.
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Help Musicians UK
Help Musicians UK have now made their main funds open on a rolling basis, which means you can apply whenever you’re ready.
Do it Differently is aimed at independent artists / music creators, with up to £3k available, alongside business advice sessions and mental health support. Find out more from our webinar here and the fund homepage here.
MOBO Help Musicians Fund provides the same support as Do It Differently, but is specifically for musicians making Hip Hop, Grime, R&B, Soul, music of African origin, Reggae, Jazz and Gospel. Find out more on the fund homepage here.
Transmission Fund is for professional development for independent musicians, with up to £1,500 available. Find out more from our webinar here and the fund homepage here.
Fusion Fund provides supports periods of collaboration and research and development - with up to £5k available for enable UK-based collaboration between artists and another non-music artists, for example storytellers, lighting designers, choreographers, technologists, scientists, gaming designers, theatre directors, visual artists etc.
In addition, Help Musicains UK also have specific and occasional funds such as Peter Whittingham Jazz Award, Musical Theatre & Opera Awards. See more on their website here.
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In addition to those listed above, Youth Music have recently launched their Next Gen fund, for artists aged between 18-25. Find out more here.
PRS Foundation also have a list of Talent Development Partners who operate regionally and in specialist genres (such as Jazz, Sound Art). Find out more about them here.