Help Musicians Announces Recipients Of National Grants Programme

27 February 2017 - Press release

Help Musicians UK (HMUK), the country’s leading independent music charity, has awarded 20 organisations £1.7m in funding over three years through the National Grants Programme—a new initiative aimed at creating opportunities for and empowering musicians in their careers.

Each recipient has been selected for their exceptional work with musicians and music makers across the country—from music education and artistic development projects to centres and festivals, these organisations are shaping and nurturing talent in their communities across a range of genres, age groups and career stages.

In its first year, The National Grants Programme received over 100 high-quality applications from organisations across the whole of the UK, from Belfast to Edinburgh to Bristol and Yorkshire.

Claire Gevaux, Creative Director added: “We have been impressed by the incredible quality and range of projects we received, with many showing innovative new ways of thinking to support the sector. We are delighted to be supporting these 20 organisations that will open doors for many more musicians over the next three years in this crucial time of uncertainty. We have been on an incredible journey over the past year creating and opening up our new funding programme for organisations which will realise our ambitions over the next five years.”

Richard Robinson, Chief Executive added: “Supporting and enabling these organisations to develop and grow reflects HMUK’s commitment to sustaining the sector and ensuring that there continues to be innovative and impactful opportunities for music makers across the UK. The combined investment of £1.7m over three years will ensure that more musicians can be reached in areas of the UK where we have had little impact in the past.”

The National Grants Programme applications were assessed on a variety of criteria including the opportunities applicants offered to musicians as well as their own impact on the sector. To support the decision making, a Creative Advisory Board of independent experts from across the sector gave advice and guidance to the process.

Congratulations to the 20 organisations supported through the National Grants Programme:

Brighter Sound	Oh Yeah Music Centre
Bristol Music Trust	Philharmonia Orchestra
Drake Music	PUNCH RECORDS
English Folk Dance and Song Society	Scottish Music Information Centre Limited
Gloucestershire Music Makers	Serious Events Limited
Higher Rhythm Ltd	Snape Maltings (formerly Aldeburgh Music)
Lancaster Jazz Festival	Sound City (Liverpool)
Manchester Jazz Festival	Sound Festival
National Opera Studio	Spitalfields Festival
National Youth Jazz Orchestra	Young Classical Artists Trust