Funding for composers and performers
Performers and composers can apply for a range of funding programmes to help support their activities and advance their careers.
Please check individual websites for details on eligibility, applications and deadlines.
Funding programmes
PRS Foundation offer a variety of funding opportunities, like Power Up, Women Make Music, and PPL Momentum Music Fund. They are dedicated to new music and talent development across the UK, working across all genres.
Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grants
Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grants supports individual artists, community and cultural organisations. Applications can be made by individuals, organisations, museums or libraries and grants range from £1,000 to £100,000.
Arts Council of Northern Ireland
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland offer support through a number of rolling schemes, including the Individual Artist Programme. Their officers also offer specialist guidance on funding and project development.
The Musicians' Company offer a number of awards for composers and performers.
The Nicholas Boas Charitable Trust
The Trust supports young musicians at the start of their careers by offering them funding for projects such as attending masterclasses, travelling to auditions, making recordings, commissioning new works and more.
Help Musicians UK
HMUK is running the funding opportunities Music-led Creative Collaboration, Recording and Releasing and Develop your Skills. Applications are open to professional UK musicians aged 18 and over. For other selection criteria please see their respective websites.
Sentric Music has launched The Sentric Academy Fund for emerging artists. The fund will support 24 artists a year. Each artist will be given up to £1,000 to spend how they wish on funding their careers. Submissions will be open until the end of July, and is open to new and existing Sentric acts, with three artists being announced each month. Submissions will re-open in September to select the remaining acts. Artists can apply through their Sentric account.
Performers
Bert Jansch Foundation Grants
Offers acoustic music students and young professionals (between 18 and 30) an award of up to £500 to undertake musical projects that will help them in their studies or early career.
Eric Thompson Trust Annual Award
Open to organists at the start of their career who want to embark on a major project relating to the organ.
Help Musicians is working with MOBO Trust for the MOBO Help Musicians Fund. To apply you can be a solo artist, producer, songwriter or group working within any genres of music of black origin. Each awardee will receive £3,000 grant towards creative output.
The NextGen Fund is aimed at emerging musicians and behind the scenes creatives, aged between 18–25-year-olds (under-30s if you identify as disabled), who require funding to launch a creative project, idea or business. Successful applicants will receive grants of up to £2,500.
RPS Audience Fund
Applications are open for a new fund that aims to give classical music organisations the means to attract, engage and retain new audiences.
Up to £19,000 will be shared between four to five projects for concerts, tours, recordings and education work that is seen as doing the most to advance and promote the understanding of music by women.
Composers
Paul Hamlyn funding directory for composers
Search the directory for nationwide funding opportunities for composers.
Supports the performance, creation and recording of music by professional British composers of current or recent generations (or those entering the profession). Applications from individuals, ensembles, organisations and recording companies are considered three times per year.
The Countess of Munster Musical Trust: The Stephen Oliver Award
The award is for a work which has been written or is in the process of being written for musical theatre.
Health
HMUK may be able to offer you support in the event of crisis, illness, disability or retirement. If you are told you need short-term treatment that isn’t available promptly on the NHS, their Emerging Musicians' Health Scheme may be able to help with a grant towards the costs.
The Philip and Ursula Jones Fund
Provides support to brass musicians across the UK who have been affected by accident, illness, stress or anxiety.
RSM may be able to offer financial support for a range of issues, including living expenses, rehabilitation, counselling, referrals to specialised practitioners, or consultations with financial advisors. This includes their John Birch Fund for church musicians.
Instrument costs
RPS instrument purchase grant
First year students and junior students who will shortly be embarking on full-time study are given priority.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to have access to musical instruments and lessons. Music for All's Grant Application allows them to help people of all ages fulfil their musical dreams.
The Harrison-Frank Family Foundation
The Foundation owns and lends a collection of fine violins supplied by violin dealer J & A Beare to over 50 young professional musicians. It aims to support these young string players at the start of the careers by providing them with an instrument which they otherwise might not have been able to afford.
Take it away is a Creative United initiative that offers interest-free loans for musical instruments, equipment, software and tuition.
Related content
PRS Foundation
Funding opportunities from the Performing Right Society's foundation.
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The touring musician: Alexander Walker
ISM member Alexander Walker tells us about his career as a touring conductor.
The touring musician: Steve Goss
ISM member and council member, Steve Goss tells us about his career as a touring composer and musician.
Composers' resources
The latest developments in our work to support composers.
