This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Business News Management & Funding
Arts Council England confirms further year’s support for Momentum Music Fund
By Chris Cooke | Published on Thursday 11 December 2014
Officially launched at The Great Escape in 2013, the Momentum Music Fund is being extended for another year beyond its original two year pilot, so that’s groovy.
As previously reported, the Fund was the first Arts Council England initiative that directly funded artists outside of the jazz, classical and folk genres, and it offers grants to enable artists and their business partners to pursue career-enhancing projects that may include live or recording-based work, seeking to complement investment made in new talent by existing music industry players such as labels and publishers.
Confirming that a third year of funding was now assured, outgoing Arts Council boss Alan Davey told reporters: “I’m proud of what Momentum has achieved and excited about what it can do. As we stated when this fund was first announced, the Arts Council are aware of the great work that the music industry does in nurturing talent by investing heavily in new and emerging artists, but the path for talent to find its way is riddled with uncertainty at key points in an artist’s career”.
He went on: “By focussing on the artist and their needs, the Momentum pilot has shown how we can do more to support talent, and give that helping hand at the right moment. This is where the fund can, and has, played an important role: backing talent where the industry can’t, bridging gaps in investment, mobilising better management and planning, and helping to build a pipeline from local music development programmes to national exposure. This additional investment will result in further evidence to help us do more for music talent, and will show how we can continue to make a real difference to artists – that, after all, is what we should be about”.
The Fund will continue to be run by the PRS For Music Foundation, whose Executive Director Vanessa Reed said this: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with Arts Council England in delivering the highly successful Momentum Music fund which remains the most competitive programme we have ever run at PRS For Music Foundation”.
She went on: “Over the last two years Momentum has attracted a huge range of applications from artists who need help to boost their career. Those selected for support include many of England’s most talented artists who are now receiving nominations for awards such as the Mercury Prize, BRIT Awards, BBC Sound Of Poll and many more. We look forward to offering this unique funding opportunity to more artists and to investing more in the breadth of talent which contributes to the ongoing success and global reputation of the UK’s music industry”.
