photo_cameraLisa Nandy - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Industry
UK live music sector set to benefit from new Music Growth funding
UK promoters, festivals, venues and managers are among those set to benefit from the first awards under the £45 million Music Growth Package.
The UK live music sector is set to benefit from the first round of funding awarded through the Government’s £45 million Music Growth Package, with several organisations representing promoters, festivals, venues, managers and the wider independent music business among the recipients.
Arts Council England has awarded a total of £837,750 to 11 industry bodies through the Music Growth Package Sector Bodies Programme.
Among the recipients are the Alliance of Independent Promoters, Association of Independent Festivals, Music Venue Trust, Music Managers Forum and Night Time Industries Association, alongside AIM, BPI, Featured Artist Coalition, The Ivors Academy, Music Producers Guild and ESEA Music.
For the live sector, the funding is expected to support areas including skills development, professional training, artist development, independent business growth, regional infrastructure and international opportunities.
The programme could also provide additional support for smaller promoters, venues, festivals and management businesses facing rising operating costs and increasing pressure on margins, while helping develop the workforce and infrastructure needed to sustain touring and live events across the UK.
According to Arts Council England, the first awards will directly benefit more than 5,000 artists and music creators, 1,200 industry professionals and 7,500 music businesses.
The funding is also expected to reach more than 20,000 members of the recipient organisations and at least 3,000 additional individuals and businesses outside their existing memberships.
The MMF said it will announce further details of its Scale Up programme and how it will help members access other initiatives under the Music Growth Fund.
The Sector Bodies Programme forms part of the wider £45 million Music Growth Package, a three-year UK Government and Arts Council England initiative expected to support more than 2,000 projects and at least 40,000 artists and music professionals.
The package was introduced in July as part of the Government’s “Turn It Up: Our Plan for Music” strategy, which includes measures aimed at strengthening the UK music industry, supporting independent businesses and improving opportunities for international growth.