PRS Foundation reveals the first songwriters and producers to receive the ground-breaking Hitmaker fund support

13 March 2020 - Press release

 

• Support includes international writing trips, equipment upgrades and childcare costs

PRS Foundation, the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development announces today the first recipients of the organisation’s ground-breaking Hitmaker fund.

The talented UK based songwriters and producers receiving support are:

• Celetia Martin – to enable writing trips to New York and LA
• Deborah Knox-Hewson – to cover studio costs whilst studying at London Sound Academy
• Dee Adam – to support a portable studio set up for overseas writing/ production collaboration, childcare and mental health/ well-being holistic therapy costs
• Krishane – to enable trips to writing camps, for co-writes, studio time and collaborations with writers in the UK and Europe
• Lee Williams – to enable a full focus on songwriting and production, with increased studio time 
• Phil Simmonds – to cover costs of national travel for co-writes & collaborationsand a contribution to music equipment and software
• Tanya Mellotte – to support professional development, co-writes & collaborations and equipment upgrade

 

The Hitmaker support will enable these 7 songwriters and producers, who are at crucial tipping points, to significantly develop their careers. These grantees have already demonstrated their exceptional talent having worked with the likes of Skepta, BTS, Gabrielle Aplin, Dido and The Saturdays (see biographies in Notes to Editors).

Hitmaker grantee Dee Adam’s says “Knowing that there is funding out there from PRS Foundation’s Hitmaker fund softens the pressure and unpredictability of our industry and has taken a huge weight off of my shoulders.”

Ben Wynter, Grants & Programmes Manager (Industry Funds) at PRS Foundation said, “We’re delighted to be announcing the first round of talented UK based songwriters and producers to be receiving our Hitmaker support.  Not only is this support benefiting those working behind the scenes who tend not to have the same opportunities as music creators in the spotlight, but it is targeted to the specific needs of those creators working in this sector and at a tipping point in their careers.  We’re proud to be able to include flexible support for needs such as childcare costs alongside the needs for studio time and equipment to enable the development of creative talent.” 

The Hitmaker fund offers an opportunity for songwriters and producers working in popular music genres to further develop their careers and writing/production credits with grants of up to £10,000.  At a time when it is becoming harder for up and coming behind the scenes creatives to earn sufficient funds to forge a sustainable career in the music business, PRS Foundation’s Hitmaker fund serves to address the need to support these creators who are the bedrock of the modern music industry.

In addition to grant support, the Hitmaker fund is building a community of behind the scenes music creators through events and a unique online network (http://hitmaker.network) designed to connect talent and encourage collaboration.

PRS Foundation’s Hitmaker fund is open to UK based ‘behind the scenes’ songwriters, producers and music creators that have had at least three commercially exploited works, whether performed live, received media coverage, radio play, streams or released via commercial channels.

 

Applicants can apply for support for:

• Time to create
• Training / Skills courses at places such as Point Blank / SSE
• Creative and Professional development
• Studio hire
• Purchase of equipment / software / hardware (covers up to 25% of costs)
• UK writing space rental / lease
• Childcare costs
• International activity that could build profile and benefit creative development

Applications can be made through the PRS Foundation website. Applicants will need to submit at least five of their works as examples. 

The next deadline for applications to be submitted by is 22^nd April 2020 at 6pm.