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Momentum Music Fund celebrates successes as it reaches its fifth birthday

By | Published on Friday 18 May 2018

Momentum Music Fund

Marking the fifth anniversary of its launch at The Great Escape, the Momentum Music Fund has announced that its grants to date have generated £13 million for the British music industry, compared to the £2.5 million it has so far dished out.

Launched by the PRS Foundation and Arts Council England in 2013, the fund offers grants of £5000 to £15,000 to emerging artists in a position to make the next step up in their careers. Beneficiaries to date have included Years & Years, Little Simz, Public Service Broadcasting, Floating Points, Bugzy Malone and Anna Meredith.

Of how the funding aided the then unsigned Years & Years, Martha Kinn of Machine Management explains: “We were at a point where we’d reached the end of the line in terms of what we could do with our own resources. We had a real vision. We had a bit of a fanbase forming; they started to write amazing songs. We wanted to keep going independently. I remember the question [on the Momentum application form] ‘Where do you see the band in three years time?’ We achieved that and more…”

PRS Foundation CEO Vanessa Reed adds: “This five year partnership with Arts Council England has resulted in one of the most successful programmes PRS Foundation has ever delivered. Combining public funds with industry backing and expertise, it presents a unique investment model for emerging artists as part of an evolving ecosystem for music. I look forward to growing this fund over the next five years with new and existing partners who share our passion for supporting diverse talent and sustainable careers”.

As it reaches its fifth year, Spotify has committed to continue supporting the fund until 2020, and PPL has increased its donation significantly.

Read a full report on Momentum’s fifth year here.



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