Urban Music Talent

What is the money for?
The grant is to help you to meet the expenses you incur in pursuing your musical ambition, such as studio time, equipment, making a video, marketing and distribution of your music, mixing and mastering, musicians’ and technicians’ fees, web design and hosting, or training for yourself and many other things. You will also be invited to take part in workshops and master-classes with professionals involved in the industry. We will support you with everything you need to help make your idea happen.

There are a couple of rules. You cannot spend more than a quarter of your grant on buying equipment, and you cannot spend any of it on domestic costs such as rent/mortgage, mobile phone, food and drink. The one domestic expense we will cover is childcare.

Who will decide if I get a grant?
This is a very popular scheme and it takes time to find the people who are going to benefit most. First, your application form will be read by an assessor with experience in the urban music sector. If we think you have made a good case for a grant, we will ask you to come for an interview, lasting no more than an hour, to talk through your idea and why it’s important for you to do this now.

About 30 people will get through the interview. They will then be invited to come together for a two-day workshop in London, with representatives from the music industry, Urban Development and the BBC Performing Arts Fund. The workshop gives us the chance to hear your music and to talk through your plans in more detail. After the residency, you will get a session with a mentor to get your plan and a budget down on paper. We will then look at all the plans and you’ll hear the final decision about two weeks later.

Please read our full terms and conditions for full eligibility information.