Talent Development Partners 2022/23

We are delighted to announce our 48 Talent Development Partners for 2022/23

These organisations are working at the frontline of talent development in the UK, supporting a broad range of individual music creators across different music genres and UK regions.

The 48 organisations around the country to receive support to be PRS Foundation Talent Development Partners for 2022/23 are:

The network – which includes venues, festivals, rehearsal spaces, studios and other talent development experts – reaches over 5,000 diverse and exciting songwriters, composers, artists, bands, ensembles and producers each year.

Organisations are selected because of the quality and range of opportunities on offer for music creators in their specialist field or region, the impact of their work, and because of what they bring to the network.

Talent Development Partners receive a grant from the Foundation for their year-round activity. They also work closely together and with PRS Foundation to address talent pipeline gaps through joint work and signposting. Hundreds of creators are already benefitting from the strategic partnership opportunities which have resulted from working together.

Funded activities include composer and songwriter development workshops, residencies, recording and release support, commissioning new music, live programming, advice and mentoring. Creators supported by Talent Development Partners include Nubya Garcia, Theon Cross, Daniel Casmir, Abel Selecoe, Nik Nak, Black Country New Road, Lady Sanity, Jasdeep Singh Degun, Nwando Ebizie.

PRS Foundation’s approach to diversity, inclusion, equity and justice includes co-founding impactful initiatives such as Women Make Music, Keychange and more recently POWER UP. The team is applying learnings across all its programmes and the Talent Development Partner network presents an opportunity to share great practice on the ground in the UK and across all music creator career levels. As well as asking the Talent Development organisations to report on the backgrounds of the creators they support, they are asked to report on the diversity of their management teams, Board members and those delivering programmes. The sector has a long way to go in terms of the talent development workforce reflecting the diverse backgrounds of music creators, and Talent Development Partners are playing a key role in shaping a more inclusive, fairer and equitable sector, with several diverse-led organisations already in the network and an increasing focus on authentic representation in decision-making, delivery and programming.  Additionally, several of this year’s organisation applications, including Audio Active and Drake Music, highlighted the health and wellbeing strands in their programmes, recognising a growing need for this type of support for those entering or working in the industry.

During the Talent Development Conference in January 2021, PRS Foundation announced that music licensing company PPL would be supporting the Talent Development Partner network.  This partnership builds on the close relationship forged between PPL and PRS Foundation through the PPL Momentum Music Fund and the International Showcase Fund and provides match funding for the Foundation’s donation from PRS for Music.

As with other grantees, PRS Foundation has been supporting Talent Development Partners as they adapted through the unprecedented challenges facing organisations and music creators due to the COVID-19 pandemic – from virtual performances to creating Covid-safe and accessible spaces to work in real life and online, to sourcing vital new equipment for creators, alongside the usual transformational offerings. Network member festivals, venues and programming bodies face particularly tough months ahead but are well placed for more outstanding adaptation and delivery.

Find out more about our Talent Development Partner network