Murmur Announces Funding Recipients for 2024 and the launch of Murmur Artist Support
07 October 2024 - Press release
Murmur, an initiative which brings together the worlds of art and music to lead and fund environmental change, unveils the first recipients of its funding programme. In 2024, over £240,000 donated by art and music organisations will be given to groundbreaking projects which drive and inspire change in the art and music industries and across the wider world. Today also marks the launch of Murmur Artist Support, a new initiative that will work with artists who want to speak up on climate and on behalf of the planet.
The recipients of Murmur funding, announced today, span three thematic areas:
‘Change the Industry’ – initiatives that drive positive change within the visual arts and music sectors, supporting them to become more environmentally sustainable.
‘Change the Conversation’ – inspiring new ways of storytelling and positive action around climate change.
‘Change the World’ – organisations that support lasting and tangible impacts globally in tackling the climate crisis.
The recipients have been selected by expert advisory boards working across these three areas and each project exemplifies Murmur’s mission to promote creative risk-taking and foster meaningful conversations. As Murmur’s Trustee, Chris Stark said at the launch of this initiative: “Artists are key to changing the climate discussion because they inspire millions of people that love and respect their art. Thanks to Murmur we finally have the right platform and funding to engage the right actors and empower them to have real agency over the climate problem.”
The complete list of inaugural recipients is as follows:
Change the Industry: Music
Climate Partner (in partnership with the Music Climate Pact and the Vinyl Alliance) to launch a project on Record manufacturing Supply Chain to better understand supply chain opportunities in record manufacturing- closing out knowledge gaps, improving data and agreeing a framework for suppliers to demonstrate long term sustainability performance.
Impala, the Independent Music Companies Association, to support the further development of the IMPALA Carbon Calculator, the first bespoke carbon calculator and environmental impact measurement tool for the independent recorded music sector, POWERED BY JULIE's BICYCLE.
The Expert Advisory Board which awarded this grant was chaired by Will Hutton, Premier League and includes Ian Stanton Beggars Group, Horst Weidenmueller,-!K7, Peter Quicke -Ninja Tune, Ben Swanson – Secretly, Chloé Van Bergen – Secretly.
Change the Industry: Art
Climate Action Services International (CASI PROJECT), a new social enterprise by the founders of the Gallery Climate Coalition, seeded to service consulting, auditing and training in the art sector. CASI offers paid-for services such as training or carbon/waste audits to support climate action and environmental responsibility for arts organisations, looking to make a significant impact.
The Expert Advisory Board which awarded this grant was chaired by Matthew Slotover and includes Cliodhna Murphy – Hauser & Wirth, Catherine Wood – Tate, Hannah Wright – Thomas Dane, Eva Langret – Frieze.
Change the Conversation
Murmur Artists Support (MAS), a programme to support artists and musicians to tell inspiring stories and advocate for positive action. MAS will bring artists together with communications experts and environmental organisations, supporting them to change the climate conversation and unlock the enormous potential of cultural actors to drive change. (More information below).
The Expert Advisory Board which awarded this grant was chaired by Rich Dawes – DawBell, and includes Ellie Fallon – Brunswick Group, Matthew Phillips – Groundswell, Caius Pawson – Young.
Change the World
Repórter Brasil is an NGO that works at the intersection of supply chains, human rights, slave labour, and environmental issues. With headquarters in São Paulo, it seeks to promote a more just society through investigative journalism and campaigns, and has gained renown for exposing illegal deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon and Cerrado forests. The organization received the prestigious Brazilian National Human Rights Prize in 2008, and its current executive secretary, Marcel Gomes, the Goldman Environmental Prize 2024 for his work in South America.
Friends of the Earth Europe (FoEE) and European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ) – FoEE and ECCJ are leading a campaigning coalition of 20 NGOs working at the intersection of climate and human rights. They are leading a public campaign for groundbreaking laws that ensure companies and their financiers reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.
The Expert Advisory Board which awarded this grant was chaired by Vendantha Kumar – CIFF and includes Joana Setzer – LSE, Anahita Yousefi – Harvest, Nathan Méténier– YCJF, Hex Picot – Oak Foundation.
Today also marks the launch of Murmur Artist Support, the initiative funded by Murmur partners via the Change the Industry category. At Murmur we believe that art can influence society by changing opinions, instilling values and translating experiences. Artists have previously helped to shape thinking and policy on major societal issues such as race, sexuality and the AIDS epidemic. Music in particular has consistently had a significant cultural and political impact on real-world events and provided power for positive change and unity at historic moments.
Murmur Artist Support has been developed in consultation with leading artists. The advisory committee that has developed this new initiative is chaired by Richard Dawes, founder of dawbell PR (Oasis, Harry Styles, Elton John) and includes Caius Pawson, founder of Young (Robyn, The xx, Sampha) and Matthew Phillips, lead of Groundswell, part of the Global Optimism movement.
Karen Edwards has been appointed Director of Murmur Artist Support and will start this new role in November 2024. Karen is an experienced music, sustainability and travel editor and writer, with over 20 years of experience contributing to national publications. Deeply passionate about inspiring impactful change to reduce the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss, she has worked closely with PRs, managers and music artists to produce engaging interviews, biographies and tour programmes.
Caius Pawson, founder of Murmur, comments: “Culture is upstream of politics. Cultural values, beliefs, and norms precede and influence the formation of political structures and policies. When artists successfully talk with their audience about subjects they care deeply about, things can change extremely quickly. To create the environment for real change we need people talking about this subject in a positive, heartfelt way – and this is a vital part of the work that Murmur is doing and that our partners are enabling."
Submit news or a press release
Want to add your news or press release? Email Paul or Kevin
Two week FREE trial