Big Joanie, New Pagans, and Wargasm UK among the latest artists to receive support from PRS Foundation’s PPL Momentum Music Fund

26 July 2021 - Press release

• Applications for the next round are open now – deadline for submissions is Wednesday 25^th August 2021 at 6pm
• PPL Momentum showcase as part of Soho Music Month on 29^th July 

PRS Foundation, the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development, together with PPL, Creative Wales, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland and Spotify reveal the next artists who will receive support from the pioneering PPL Momentum Music Fund.  The artists, who have been selected by a network of industry experts, are: 

Baba Ali – Recording and Marketing
Benedict Cork - Recording
Big Joanie - Marketing
Holly Walker - Marketing
Jordan Adetunji -  Writing, Recording and Marketing
Lauren Housley - Recording
Leifur James - Recording and Touring
Martha Hill - Recording
Mason Hill – Recording and Marketing
New Pagans – Mixing, Mastering, Marketing
Nia Wyn – Touring and Marketing
SONIKKU – Recording and Touring
Wargasm UK – Marketing and Touring 

PPL Momentum supported Leifur James said, “It's a great gift to receive the fund to enhance the live experience in ways that couldn't be achieved without it and bringing together collaborators on new projects.” 

Kwame Safo, Grants & Programmes Manager (Industry Funds) at PRS Foundation said: “Just last week we heard that a third of the Mercury Prize nominees have been funded through the PPL Momentum Fund. Time and time again we have seen evidence of the important role that this fund plays in the talent development pipeline and in the UK music industry, and I’m pleased to announce these amazing new grantees off the back of that. I’m looking forward to seeing what they do next, I’m sure there’s a few future award winners in this list too!” 

Sarah Mitchell, Director of Membership and Communications, said: “From day one the PPL Momentum Music Fund has worked tirelessly to promote UK music, regardless of geography, background or genre. Its latest funding round encapsulates this, with artists from across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales receiving grants for music ranging from hip hop to experimental electronic music. Congratulations from PPL to the artists being supported and we wish them the very best for the next stage of their careers.” 

Dawn Bowden, Wales’ Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport said: “Wales has a long and proud track record of developing world-class music talent. The PPL Momentum Music fund plays an important role in supporting new and emerging artists - so I’m pleased the Welsh Government, through Creative Wales, has been able to support it over the last 4 years.

I’d like to extend my congratulations to this round’s Welsh recipient, Nia Wyn, as she breaks through to the next step in her career.

This really is an excellent initiative and I encourage any artists from across Wales, who are at a tipping point in their career, to bid for the next round of funding.” 

Jo Wright, Acting Head of Music and Opera, Arts Council of Northern Ireland added, “The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is proud to partner with PRS Foundation on PPL Momentum Music Fund, a vital initiative which enables our artists to take that all important next step in the development of their professional music careers. We are committed to providing valuable, meaningful opportunities for our artists to develop and this funding programme offers artists not only the opportunity to connect with the UK-wide industry, but also to showcase the tremendous talent that is inherent to Northern Ireland on an international stage.

Congratulations to all the artists taking part in this round and to Northern Ireland musicians, New Pagans and Jordan Adetunji, who will benefit greatly from this opportunity.”

The next deadline to apply for PPL Momentum support is 25^th August 2021 at 6pm.  The application portal is open for application submissions now and can be accessed via prsfoundation.com. 

As part of Soho Music Month showcase, PRS Foundation and PPL will present a unique showcase on Thursday 29 July 2021 featuring a line-up of PPL Momentum and PPL Momentum Accelerator supported artists, all hailing from outside London. Lady Ice , English Teacher, and Downtown Kayoto will perform from 6:30pm and tickets are available here. 

Managed by PRS Foundation, the PPL Momentum Music Fund awards grants of £5,000-£15,000 using funds from PRS Foundation, PPL, Creative Wales, Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland. Spotify, the official digital partner on the fund, contributes additional funding and a reward package containing exciting promotional opportunities and a close working relationship between Momentum artists and the Spotify team. 

PPL became headline sponsors of the Momentum Music Fund in February 2020. Since then 55 talented music creators at tipping points in their careers have received this vital support to break through to the next level. This type of support is crucial for both music creators’ careers and the wider industry as the 5 Years of Momentum Report (2013-18) found the fund had generated over £18m for the UK music industry and UK economy. 

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. 

For a full rundown of all the artists supported so far see: http://prsfoundation.com/funding/momentum-music-fund/momentum-artists. 

Listen to the latest PPL Momentum Music Fund supported artists on the Spotify Momentum playlist here.