Your shopping cart is empty.
MOBO TRUST AND HELP MUSICIANS UK PARTNER FOR YEAR 2
MOBO HELP MUSICIANS FUND OPEN TO EMERGING GRASS ROOT TALENT
Help Musicians UK and MOBO Trust have joined forces once again to launch the second round of the MOBO Help Musicians Fund with applications open from today.
The charity has again teamed up with MOBO Trust, MOBO Organisation’s charitable arm, established to help young people reach their full potential in a wide range of disciplines within the creative sector, for the second year running to help support the creative and career ambitions of emerging talent through the MOBO Help Musicians Fund. Grants of up to £2,000 each are made available to support exceptionally talented solo artists, song writers and groups, fund their development to significantly impact on their creative and career aspirations.
After the success of last year’s pilot, The MOBO Help Musicians Fund’s total fund has been increased to £40,000, creating even more funding opportunities for grass roots talent at the start of their careers, with groups of five or more now eligible to apply for grants up to £3,000.
Help Musicians UK Head of Creative Programme Lucy Bampton said: “We’re thrilled to announce we have doubled our investment in the MOBO Help Musicians Fund following such a successful pilot year. This additional investment and working with the fantastic MOBO Trust will enable us to support even more exciting and innovative artists from genres beyond the existing commercial heartland. We’re particularly excited to expand our criteria to enable larger groups, such as gospel choirs, to realise their career ambitions.”
This year’s fund opened on Tuesday 11 September, with solo artists, producers, groups and songwriters from across the UK, who have been making music and performing, but do not have significant financial backing, eligible to apply. Whilst we encourage applications from genres beyond the commercial heartland such as RnB, Soul, Afrobeats, Jazz, Gospel, Reggae and African as well as Hip Hop and Grime, talent from any genre are welcome to apply.
Those eligible for the grants would be able to fund a broad spectrum of activities that are vital to an artist’s career and creative development - from vocal coaching, support for live performance and touring, video production, recording studio access, PR, marketing and promotion.
MOBO founder and CEO Kanya King CBE: “MOBO has a long history of championing and supporting the next generation of talent in urban music. Yet with each new generation of artists come new challenges to develop one’s art and get to the next level, so financial backing early on is critical to the long-term growth of a fledgling artist. After last year’s successful pilot and witnessing the progress of last year’s recipients, it was only natural to continue this partnership with Help Musicians UK and we are therefore proud to be able to offer even more exceptional musicians, songwriters and producers invaluable funding and support in achieving their career ambitions. We look forward to seeing more of the wide range of grass roots talent the UK has to offer".
in 2017 MOBO Help Musicians Fund supported eleven up and coming acts, such as producer, composer and vocalist AGAMA who used her award to produce a 4 track EP and live video whereas contemporary soul and Neo Jazz artist Estée Blu developed her live performance and got vocal coaching after receiving funding.
These two recipients together with SignKid and Cat Delphi have helped to launch this year’s fund by participating in a video that sees the artists share how the vital funding helped their careers, with guidance and tips for budding artists wanting to make their funding applications stand out from the rest. The video is available to view here:
The closing date for applications is Monday 8 October at 9:00am.
Who can apply
To be eligible for the MOBO Help Musicians Fund you must be:
You can be a solo artist, producer, group or songwriter. MOBO would like to encourage applications from genres beyond the commercial heartland such as RnB and Soul, Hip Hop, Grime, Jazz, Gospel, Garage, Reggae and African music.
What can I use the funding for?
Please note equipment or PR should only make up 50% of your overall budget (e.g. should be no more than £1000 pounds of your total budget).
What can’t I use the funding for?
How it works
What to include in your application
The online application form will ask questions about:
Within your application please include:
You will also need to submit examples of the best and most recent music that you are making.
Your reference
To support your application you must also have a reference from a successful and well respected musician or music professional not connected with your application. This referee should know about you and your work.
Help with your application
For tips on writing your application you can visit www.helpmusicians.org.uk/creative-programme/advice-for-funding-applications-
Previous recipients
AGAMA https://agamamusic.com
Ara Harmonic https://soundcloud.com/araharmonic
AWATE https://www.happinessisopenforbusiness.com
Cat Delphi https://www.catdelphi.com
Estée Blu https://www.esteeblu.com
Griz-0 http://www.grizofficial.com
Haula https://www.haulamusic.com
Lady Sanity https://www.ladysanity.com
Merki Waters https://www.facebook.com/MerkiWaters/
Michelle O'Faith https://soundcloud.com/michelleofaith
Signkid http://hyperurl.co/bxzoc5
Who we are
Help Musicians UK (HMUK) is the leading independent charity providing help, support and opportunities to empower musicians at all stages of their lives. As well as playing a vital role supporting working musicians who are dealing with an illness, injury or accident, we also provide a range of opportunities to support learning and professional. Through our Creative Programme, we aim to help musicians during the course of their careers by investing in innovation across artistic practice, talent and professional development, removing barriers that exist for many to launch and sustain professional music careers across all genres.
MOBO Organisation and the MOBO Awards were established in 1996 by Kanya King CBE to motivate, elevate and celebrate the outstanding achievements of artists in under-served musical genres, from soul, RnB and reggae to hip hop, grime, gospel and afrobeats. Now in its 23rd year, MOBO is a pioneer in its field and not just an event, but a movement . Over the years, MOBO has become much more than just an awards ceremony, it is now an iconic, year-round, agenda-setting global brand that successfully champions diversity and inclusion in music and broader cultural arenas. It strives to support emerging and independent talent and has provided an early platform for some of the nation’s most-loved artists, from Amy Winehouse and Emeli Sande, to Laura Mvula, Sam Smith, Adele and Skepta. MOBO pursues its purpose to create more opportunities and access for diverse talent across the creative industries in film, TV, fashion, art, sport and media. A drive to deliver social and cultural change is embedded in the organisation’s DNA. With an ongoing successful talent development programme, a number of Executive Fellowships in the creative workplace and a host of annual training and educational opportunities for young people, MOBO influences the lives of hundreds of thousands of people every year. In 2016, the charitable foundation MOBO Trust was established to support young people to realise their potential in a wide range of disciplines within the creative sector.
