Shelley Ballard: Early Career Promoter Fund
A series of 3 shows with emerging female headline acts under the previously known Homegrown Heat title.
Shelley is a Birmingham-based aspiring music promoter working within rap and hip hop. Coming from a musical family, she began her journey in music as an artist and engineer before moving into radio and live events. In 2020 she hosted Homegrown Heat on Hot 92 Birmingham, a show focused on playing music from emerging artists during the pandemic. Her work is rooted in a deep understanding of hip hop culture and a desire to see the genre better represented within Birmingham’s live music landscape.
With support from the PRS Foundation Early Career Promoter Fund, Shelley will deliver a series of intimate rap and hip hop events in Birmingham, all headlined by female artists. The entire project is centred on addressing the underrepresentation of women of colour as headline artists within UK rap and hip hop, responding directly to the lack of consistent, visible platforms for these artists. The series will focus on small-scale shows in grassroots venues, creating consistent and welcoming spaces for live hip hop in a city where the genre is often underrepresented and overlooked.
The aim of the series is to build trust and consistency around rap and hip hop performances, both for audiences and venues. By programming multiple events rather than a one-off show, the project will help establish a regular presence for the genre, encouraging repeat attendance and strengthening confidence in live hip hop events.
The events will be accessible and community-focused, supporting grassroots venues through regular programming and footfall, while giving audiences the opportunity to experience live rap and hip hop in an intimate setting.
This series of events aims to contribute to a more balanced live music ecosystem in Birmingham, where rap and hip hop have a visible, trusted and ongoing place within the city’s cultural life.