The 2025 FAC Step Up Fund, powered by Amazon Music is now open for applications!

Supported by the generous team at Amazon Music, each year Step Up provides 10 developing independent artists with grants of up to £8,000 – money that can be used for any kind of creative project, including recording, touring, marketing and video making.

Some of the previous awardees include Elkka, Jalen Ngonda, Lime Garden, Chalk, Amie Blu, Tara Lily, LVRA, Friedberg, Joel Culpepper and many, many more. 

Step Up is designed for artists who are building a profile, but who are NOT signed to a major label or large independent or in receipt of significant funding.

Please note applicants must have released at least 3 songs in the last year, with a minimum of 15k streams or one song with 45k streams on a UK chart eligible platform.

For eligibility and additional information head to the Step Up page.  You have until 23:59 Saturday 31st May to get your applications in.

Apply here!

PRS Foundation – the award-winning charitable funder of new music and talent development – announces today a second round of funding targeted to early career music promoters in England and supported by Arts Council England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

In the first year of the programme, PRS  have supported over 150 early career promoters with grants totalling £450k and wraparound support to help with development costs for those looking to scale up and build a promoter brand. The fund has directly stimulated more than 400 grassroots shows in the last year.

Grants of up to £3,500 will be available to support a range of activity, including:

• The booking, programming and promotion of gigs, concerts, club nights, showcases, tours and other performances
• Costs associated with those activities (including venue hire, production, artist and/or DJ fees, crew fees, administration and other related costs)
• Capacity building (including mentoring, coaching, shadowing, workshops, masterclasses, and other skill building and networking opportunities)
• Other expenditure which helps grantees to programme a diverse range of artists, develop new audiences and build their skills

PPL/PRS recently added Tees Valley to their Momentum Accelerator catchment area. 

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

The scheme’s long-term approach supports the development of these outstanding artists and bands outside London, with partners providing support for a number of future industry professionals such as managers, promoters, record labels, music publishers, booking agents, to bolster regional scenes across the UK.

Music creators based in Tees Valley can apply for up to £5000, while industry professionals can apply for up to £1000.

For full information on the fund, click here. The deadline of this funding round is 12 May at 6pm.

The PPL Momentum Music Fund awards between £5k – £15k to artists ready to break through to the next level of their careers. The fund intends to support artists and bands who have played shows all around the UK, have at least one established team member and have a strong fan base.

Awarded funding can be used for:

• Recording – new album, EP, single, producer, engineer, mixer fees, studio hire, session musician fees, etc. or a combination of these elements.
• Touring (UK only*) – travel, accommodation, musician fees, set/production design, tour management, equipment hire, etc.
• Marketing and promotions – PR, radio plugger, digital marketing, music videos, merchandise production, etc.
• Purchase of equipment / software / hardware (covers up to 20% of costs)

*For artists and bands based in Northern Ireland we recognise that live dates in the Republic of Ireland will likely have a good career impact. As such PPL/PRS can support and encourage PPL Momentum-funded dates to in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

In your application, make sure to demonstrate a clear plan for the next stages of their career and to provide a realistic budget.

For full application requirements and details of the fund, click here.

Applications for this funding round close on 12 May 2025 at 6pm.

Are you a music creator aged 18-30? The Flip The Beat Challenge is here! Teaming up with Soundtrap and Supermann on da beat, this competition invites you to remix an exclusive beat and showcase your sound. Transform Supermann’s beat into something new and original using Soundtrap.

Prizes include music production gear, a premium Soundtrap subscription, a feature on social media, and the opportunity to connect with industry professionals.

The PRS POWER UP Participant Programme is designed to elevate exciting Black music creators and industry professionals and address barriers for those at crucial career stages.

Creating a long-term network across the UK each year the Participant Programme will support:

• 20 x Black music creators
  artists, songwriters, composers and producers who are involved in the creative process and may be working in any genre, based anywhere in the UK
• 20 x Black executives and industry professionals
  industry professionals working in any sector of the music industry, anywhere in the UK. This includes employees and entrepreneurs, freelancers and self-employed professionals

So far, 160 participants have received holistic support through this programme. The new Year 5 cohort will be announced in July 2025. All participants remain engaged in the network.

Successful POWER UP participants receive:

• Grant support of up to £10,ooo
• Capacity building and mentoring
• Access to partners
• Marketing support
• Taking part in the POWER UP network

For full application guidance, click here. Applications for this funding round close 13th March 2025 at 6pm.

Applications are closing soon for the American Songwriter Contest. The annual competition offers songwriters the opportunity to showcase their work to leading industry professionals, including top songwriters, artists, and A&R executives. Participants compete for a grand prize of $10,000, along with additional recognition and opportunities to have their songs heard by influential figures in the music industry.

One winner will also receive a VIP experience that includes a SXSW Music Badge (i.e., access to all music showcases), Lodging/Travel to Austin TX, Networking opportunities with Industry Artists & Execs, New Gear, Feature Article, And More!

The Grand prize winner will receive:

• $10,000 USD in Cash
• Mentorship with Major Label A&R Executive – Joe Ferrari (Head of A&R, Sony Music Canada)
• 2-page Feature in American Songwriter Magazine
• Brand New Custom Premium McNally Acoustic Guitar
• International Promotion of Your Album + Radio Tracking Provided by:  Play MPE and MTR.
• Social Media Collab Post on American Songwriter’s socials
• American Songwriter Membership

The Award Includes:

• 6 hours of one-to-one business advice from industry experts
• Online meet-ups with other awardees and industry guests
• Up to £3,000 towards your own music activity. See what this can be spent on here.
• Invites to online peer drop-in spaces with other musicians (optional)
• Access to a healthy practice session delivered by BAPAM (optional)

Who Can Apply: 

• Working musicians who have made at least 40% of their income from music over the past two years. Musicians with a long-term health condition and/​or disability that impacts their ability to work as a musician will just need to show some income from music within the past 2 years. You can find out more about this on our eligibility page.
• Aged 18 or over, living in the UK, with the right to live and work in the UK and with a UK bank account.
• Not have more than £10,000 savings or access to other capital that could fund your planned activity.

The Hitmaker Fund offers an opportunity for songwriters and producers working in popular music genres to further develop their careers and writing/production with grants of between £5,000 –  £10,000.

This fund is for people working behind the scenes who are at a crucial tipping point in their careers. To apply for this funding, you must have a previous track record in songwriting and/or producing, i.e. at least 5 registered tracks with PRS.

PRS continue to strongly encourage applications from Women and gender diverse songwriters/producers, those from the global majority and applications from underrepresented regions and nations outside of London.

For full eligibility criteria, please click here.

The deadline for this funding round is 3rd March 2025.

Help Musicians are offering grants of up to £500 to invest in your career as a musician. This money can be spent on a short course, new software, or taking opportunities to record, release and perform.

This grant is for:

• Working musicians who have made at least 40% of their income from music over the past two years. Musicians with a long-term health condition and/​or disability that impacts their ability to work as a musician will just need to show some income from music within the past 2 years.
• People aged 18 or over, living in the UK, with the right to live and work in the UK and with a UK bank account
• Those with less than £10,000 savings or without access to other capital that could fund your planned activity

For full eligibility criteria, please click here.

The application window for this grant is open until Friday 14th February at 5pm.