Latest PPL Momentum Music Fund and inaugural PPL Momentum Accelerator Tees Valley grantees announced

20 August 2025 - Press release

• Latest round features 10 talented artists from across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England receiving PPL Momentum Music support
  
• Three exciting Tees Valley-based artists and two industry professionals selected for the first round of PPL Momentum Accelerator support in the region
  
  
• Lucas Alexander becomes the fifth artist to develop their career through PPL Momentum Accelerator support to PPL Momentum Music fund level

 

PRS Foundation, the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development, together with PPL, Creative Wales and Arts Council of Northern Ireland, reveal the latest artists that will receive support from the pioneering PPL Momentum Music Fund and PPL Momentum Accelerator Tees Valley support.

The artists who have been selected by a network of industry experts to receive PPL Momentum Music funding are:

• Alfie Sharp (England) – Campaign to release new EP 'CHAOS' with a focus on digital promotion and live performance to include a 3 date UK tour
• Brooke Combe (Scotland) – EP following the release of the debut album
• Enola Gay (Northern Ireland) – Recording and release of debut album
• Finn Forster (England) - UK headline tour in November 2025
• Lucas Alexander (Wales) – Production, a UK Tour and rollout of new studio album
• Saïna (England) – Recording, mixing and mastering costs, visual production and promotional support of the release of the 2nd EP in a trilogy
• Shelf Lives (England) – Enhanced digital marketing campaign for debut album release
• The Oozes (England) – Releasing a 14-track debut album and creating a series of DIY music videos/short art films
• The Orchestra (For Now) (England) – Promotion and marketing of 'Plan 76', the second EP to be released on the band’s own label
• Valtos (Scotland) – Promotion of second album to coincide with headlining 1300-capacity venues

 

This latest round from the May 2025 deadline features talented artists from across all four nations of the UK, including Valtos from Scotland who were described as “pathbreaking in the Scottish trad scene” in the Edinburgh Music Review, Enola Gay from Northern Ireland described by God Is In The TV Zine as “confrontational and exhilarating” and Lucas Alexander from Wales described by DJ Mag as “one of the most versatile figures in the Welsh club scene.”

PPL Momentum Music supported Lucas Alexander said, “Big thanks to all the partners and advisors on the PPL Momentum Music Fund, they helped me move the dial with the PPL Momentum Sbardun Accelerator previously and I’m sure this one will do even more for me. As my career and following is progressing this timely funding will allow me step up to the next level.”

PPL Momentum Music Fund is the ground-breaking support for artists who have reached a crucial tipping point, have a team already in place and ready to take the next step in their careers. Managed by PRS Foundation, the PPL Momentum Music Fund awards grants of £5,000-£15,000 using funds from PRS Foundation, PPL, Creative Wales and Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

PRS Foundation’s PPL Momentum Accelerator offers grants of up to £5,000 to talented artists in targeted regions of the UK with a growing fanbase, currently working to establish a music industry team.  PPL Momentum Accelerator Tees Valley which was launched in May this year is in partnership with Sonic Futures, Tees Valley Combined Authority and UK Government, adding to the successful PPL Momentum Accelerator initiatives in Liverpool City Region, Wales and Yorkshire.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “We are home to fantastically talented musicians and professionals - and this new funding will support their success and help drive their careers to the next level. This support plays a vital role in nurturing our talent, helping us hear more Teesside voices on the international stage, and it also ensures people can stay local and go far across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.”

 

The first artists to be selected to receive PPL Momentum Accelerator Tees Valley support are: 

• Boo (Stockton-on-Tees) – Produce, record, and release an EP, including one high-profile remix, with a full visual and marketing campaign.
• Loren Heat (Middlesbrough) – Putting together a statement single campaign and level-up nationally. It will also allow her to work with press, radio and a social media company.
• Marina Josephina (Stockton-on-Tees) – Production, promotion, and release of her debut EP - a four-track project that will define her sound, showcase her artistic identity, and help reach a national audience.

 

PPL Momentum Accelerator Tees Valley supported Marina Josephina, said, “The PPL Momentum Accelerator fund is a game-changer for me. It’s giving me the chance to bring my debut EP to life at a level I couldn’t reach on my own. Thank you to all the partners for bringing this opportunity to Tees Valley music scene.”

Additionally, PPL Momentum Accelerator support of up to £2,000, which can include micro-grants, mentoring or other holistic support, is offered for Tees Valley-based future music industry professionals to develop their skills and careers. The two Tees Valley-based industry professionals receiving support are:

• Nicola Coaker (Stockton-on-Tees) - Building a strong network of brand partners to create opportunities for local artists helping bring greater visibility and investment into emerging North East talent.
• David Macnab (Darlington) - Developing management skills, setting up own business and learning best administration practices.

 

PPL Momentum Accelerator Tees Valley supported Nicola Coaker said, “This funding is enabling me to strengthen the commercial side of my work - developing a clear strategy for brand partnerships, investing in professional mentoring, and building the infrastructure needed to position North East talent competitively on a national level. It’s a crucial step towards making Nrthrn Baby a sustainable business that can generate new revenue streams and long-term opportunities for the region’s creative community.”

Ste Allen Sonic Futures Project Manager said, “As someone who has spent 20 years making music, promoting shows and DJing in Teesside, it is incredible to see this level of support for our artists and music professionals. Through PRS Foundation’s PPL Momentum Music Fund and the brand-new PPL Momentum Accelerator in Tees Valley, we’re seeing unprecedented investment and belief in local talent. This isn’t just funding, it’s a platform that’s giving artists from our area the tools, connections and confidence to compete on a national stage. Seeing artists like Marina, Loren and Boo benefit from ringfenced funding for Tees Valley along with professionals like David and Nic is a game-changer for our scene and a huge step towards putting this area on the map and gaining the recognition that the talent in the region deserves.”

 

PPL Momentum Music Fund is crucial for both music creators’ careers and the wider industry as the 10 Years of Momentum Report (2013-23) found. To date, the fund has been transformational with over £5.2 million awarded to artists across the whole of the UK, resulting in:

• Helping to generate £22 million for the UK music industry
• Over 500 artists awarded PPL Momentum Music Fund support
• Creation of more than 275 albums (including Mercury Prize nominated albums and dozens of top twenty chart placements)
• Support for over 300 UK tours and over 1,600 live dates
• Over 7,300 applications received over 40 funding rounds with a 7% success rate of funds being granted

 

Following the report’s release in 2023, recent PPL Momentum Music artists continue to make waves and progress their careers. Ezra Collective were awarded the 2023 Mercury Prize (the second PPL Momentum Music fund grantee in a row to do so following Little Simz) Jordan Adetunji released one of the most viral tracks of the last 12-months ‘Kehlani’, and Dry Cleaning picked up a 2024 Grammy Award.

An evaluation of the PPL Momentum Music Fund and evidence from thousands of applications PRS Foundation receives each year identified talent pipeline gaps across the UK. Many music creators show strong musical potential but are unable to capitalise upon this due to financial barriers, gaps in regional infrastructure, knowledge, advice, and access to industry platforms.

PPL Momentum Accelerator was subsequently launched as a targeted scheme to support the development of outstanding artists and bands who are writing their own music, and early career Industry Professionals, outside London and who face additional barriers in reaching a crucial career tipping point based on their location.

Lucas Alexander is the fifth artist to have progressed their career to a tipping point and be eligible to apply for and receive the PPL Momentum Music Fund after initially receiving PPL Momentum Accelerator support. Fellow Wales-based LEMFRECK and Luke RV as well as the two Yorkshire-based Downtown Kayoto and Chiedu Oraka also first picked up PPL Momentum Accelerator support early in their careers before successfully receiving PPL Momentum Music Fund support. Further recent Accelerator successes include English Teacher winning last year’s Mercury Prize and being shortlisted in this year’s BBC Sound Of 2025.

PPL became headline sponsors of the Momentum Music Fund in February 2020. Since then, 237 talented music creators at tipping points in their careers have received this vital support to break through to the next level.

PRS Foundation and Arts Council England initiated The Momentum Music Fund in 2013. Arts Council England originally established the need for this specific fund and supported the programme from 2013-18.

 

Next deadline to submit an application for PPL Momentum Music Fund or PPL Momentum Accelerator Tees Valley support is 27^th October 2025 at 6:00pm. Find out more and apply via prsfoundation.com