Published
Thu, Apr 15, 2021, 10:00
- We'll update this resource as new opportunities emerge.
Here's a list of grants and public funding currently available to musicians and other creatives.
As the pandemic rolls on, various charities, companies and cultural institutions are finding new ways to support artists, promoters and creatives within electronic music. We remain grateful for the support we've received and would like to guide others.
Updated: 13:00 PM on August 2nd, 2021.
Scotland
• Creative Scotland is awarding £1.2 million for its Youth Music Initiative, a programme supporting projects providing extracurricular music education. Learn more on the Creative Scotland website. You can also sign up for sessions explaining the new online application process for individual grants from August 10th.
Berlin
• Tag Der Club Kultur is accepting applications for grants for Berlin-based clubs and collectives from August 1st to 15th. Apply here.
United Kingdom
• PRS Foundation has just launched four new funds for artists: #GETHEARD, Women Make Music, PPL Momentum Music Fund and The Open Fund For Music Creators.
• Power Up, the new initiative from PRS Foundation aimed at tackling anti-Black racism in music, will endorse 40 Black participants, split evenly between 20 creators and 20 executives and industry professionals. Apply now.
• PRS Foundation has also announced a new round for Women Make Music, a fund to support projects by women, trans and non-binary songwriters, composers and music creators. The fund opens in May and closes on June 14th.
• Another PRS Foundation grant: The Open Fund For Music Creators. This supports the creation, performance and promotion of any music style with grants up to £5,000. Applications open in May and close June 14th.
• Arts Council England is offering National Lottery Project Grants of between £1,000 and £100,000 to individual artists and community and cultural organisations. Apply here.
• NTS Radio has launched NTS Work In Progress (NTS WIP), a new scheme that promises to take six artists—solo, groups or bands—"to the next stage of their careers." Apply now.
Australia
• Liquid Architecture, MESS and MAV have teamed up to offer two-week Recovery Residencies for 20 electronic sound artists. Artists will receive $1500 and have access to MESS's collection of electronic instruments.
Germany
• Music Board Berlin funding is available for new labels, festivals, tours and projects or platforms supporting up-and-coming talent. More info here.
• Initiative Musik has a number of funding options. International Tour Funding is a rolling grant for musicians based in Germany who need help with travel and marketing costs in other countries. Applications must be sent in at least five weeks before the first performance. Click here for more info.
• Live 100, another Initiative Musik fund, supports small and medium-sized clubs to sponsor up to 48 performances in their venues each year. Both the venue and performing artist or band will receive €100 for every performance. This fund has been back-dated to include events that took place between March 1st, 2020 and May 31st, 2021. More info here.
Netherlands
• Performing Arts Fund NL has rolling funds for both individuals and organisations, including institutions, venues and festivals. Grants range from foreign travel expenses and international exchange projects to artistic development for both emerging and established acts. More info here.
• Upstream: Music x Design, supported by the Performing Arts Fund NL and Creative Industries Fund NL, awards money to experimental projects between artists and designers in two application rounds each year. There’s €150,000 available in each round and grants appear to range from €5,000 to €40,000. The deadline for the next round is September 1st.
• The Digital Culture Grant Scheme, also supported by the Creative Industries Fund NL, has a budget of nearly €1.5m for projects related to digital culture. Individuals or organisations can apply for either a regular project grant, which will need co-financing, or a starting grant of up to €7,500. The closing dates for this year's three rounds are: April 14th, August 18th and October 7th.
• Another one from the Creative Industries Fund NL: Grant Programme For Festivals. This fund is being adjusted in light of the pandemic, but the new round of applications will be announced soon. (Rewire was recently awarded funds for its 2021 edition.)
• The Fund For Cultural Participation's Culture Makers Of Today grant offers up to €5,000 for small-scale projects including singing, dancing and music making. The application deadline is April 30th. More info here.
• Do you have a creative project idea but no idea how to secure funding? Matchmakers can point you in the right direction. Contact a matchmaker in your area and they will advise you on the best grant options. They will also connect you with funding staff at the Performing Arts Fund NL, the VSB Fund and the Fund For Cultural Participation.
USA
• The Foundation For Contemporary Arts has an Emergency Grant for artists in need of last-minute funding for confirmed performances. Grants range from $500 to $2,500. It also offers one-off $2,000 grants with the FCA Emergency Grants Covid-19 Fund for artists whose performances or exhibitions were canceled or indefinitely postponed because of the pandemic. The fund is open until September 2021.
For more guidance on what funds are available, watch this RA Webinar from earlier this year. Please email [email protected] if you'd like to be sent the presentations from the webinar.
Photo credit: Omid Armin