51 Black music creators supported through PRS Foundation’s Sustaining Creativity Fund third round
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51 Black music creators receive support in Round 3 thanks to our generous donors and Spotify’s COVID-19 relief fund
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4 Creators receive additional access grant support
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Since March 2020, 198 songwriters and composers have received support from the fund across three deadlines
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UK-wide grantees across all genres, from alternative bands and grime MCs, to electronic producers and pioneering classical composers
Thanks to the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief Fund and generous donations from members of the public, we’re delighted to reveal that we have supported 51 exciting Black music creators through the third round of our Sustaining Creativity Fund. 4 creators received additional access grant support.
The Sustaining Creativity Fund was set up to support artists, songwriters and composers to create and develop when they need it most.
Round 3 of the fund focused on providing targeted support for Black music creators in any genre and gender across the UK who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This targeted round of funding recognises the Black music community is disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, that the economic impact of the pandemic will hit minorities hardest, and the concern that outstanding Black talent has been less able to access hardship funding over recent months.
The round was run in partnership with six dynamic Black-led organisations:
These organisations are on the frontline of talent development in the UK and a number of grants were ringfenced for music creators who have been through their programmes (or in the case of No Signal found out about the fund through their platforms). Their expertise and extensive networks ensured this support reached Black music creators who will benefit from this vital support at this unprecedented time.
Conversations following the Black Lives Matter movement and the industry’s show of solidarity on Black Out Tuesday highlight the many barriers to career progression – including structural and systemic racism in music, everyday prejudice and injustice, underrepresentation, marginalisation and financial inequity. This focus on Black music creators for the third round of the Sustaining Creativity Fund is one of the many immediate and sustained actions the organisation is taking. You can find more information about those commitments and actions here.
Since it’s launch in March 2020 we are proud to have sustained creativity through this initiative, supporting a total of 198 artists, songwriters and composers across three deadlines, with funding support spread across the UK, covering all genres – from alternative bands and grime MCs, to electronic producers and pioneering classical composers.
Thank you to Spotify and everyone who has donated to the fund and supported it over the last few months.
You can read more about the fund here
