PRS Foundation’s impact demonstrated once again as 5 Mercury Prize 2020 nominees have been supported through various programmes

23 July 2020 - Press release

• 5 out of 12 Mercury Prize 2020 nominees have had their careers supported by PRS Foundation
• Almost ½ of Mercury Prize nominees from 2018-2020 have been funded by PRS Foundation, including winners Dave and Wolf Alice
• #FundedByPRSF nominees have all been supported domestically and internationally, with many also coming through talent development programmes run by partner organisations
• PRS Foundation’s Keychange Ambassador Dua Lipa also nominated

PRS Foundation, the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development is delighted to see today that 5 of the artists nominated for this year’s Mercury Prize have received support from PRS Foundation at strategic points in the development of their careers.

 

These artists are:

• Anna Meredith (nominated for FIBS) – received support through Women Make Music (2014), Musician in Residence, China (2014), PPL Momentum Music Fund (2015), New Music Biennial (2017), International Showcase Fund (2017)
• Georgia (nominated for Seeking Thrills) – received BBC Music Introducing x PRS Foundation showcase support (for CMJ 2015 & SXSW 2019) and PPL Momentum Music Fund support (2016)   
• Lanterns on the Lake (nominated for Spook the Herd) – received International Showcase Fund (for SXSW 2011) and Open Fund support (2015 and 2018)
• Moses Boyd (nominated for Dark Matter) – received the Steve Reid Innovation Award (2014), PPL Momentum Music Fund (2016), International Showcase Fund (for SXSW 2017), and BBC Music Introducing x PRS Foundation showcase (for New York Winter Jazzfest 2020) support
• Sports Team (nominated for Deep Down Happy) – received PPL Momentum Music Fund (2018), International Showcase Fund (2019) support

 

Funding partners for the development schemes listed above include PRS for Music, PPL, Arts Council England, British Underground, Department for International Trade, Creative Scotland, Arts Council of Wales, Creative Wales, Wales Arts International, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the Musicians’ Union, Invest NI, British Council, the ABO, Ben Sherman, AWAL, Glastry, BBC Music Introducing and Spotify.

Each of these music creators had successfully accessed PRS Foundation’s targeted support to their specific career development, such as creating, recording, residencies, UK touring or showcasing internationally. Additionally, as part of the wider UK music industry’s talent development pipeline, four artists have utilised support and worked with organisations that have received PRS Foundation funding too.

Whether it was Southbank Sinfonia being able to programme Anna Meredith’s “Four Tributes to 4am”, Generator, Sage Gateshead and the Royal Northern Sinfonia working with Lanterns on the Lake, DIY touring Sports Team, or organisations including Tomorrow's Warriors, Jazz re:freshed, British Underground, Serious or Brainchild Festival working to support Moses Boyd, talent development organisations we fund across the UK are playing an important role in the development of music creator careers.

Additionally, the inaugural Inspiration Award Winner for PRS Foundation's Keychange initiative Dua Lipa has also been nominated for this year’s prize. And it was a good year for gender balance; there were more nominations for women than ever before.

Joe Frankland, Chief Executive of PRS Foundation said, “Congratulations to the five Mercury Prize nominated artists announced today that have received support from PRS Foundation in recent years.  It is a fantastic example of how timely investment in exciting, diverse and innovative talent works in tandem with UK organisations we support and co-investment from the music industry to produce world-beating new music. Having so many grantees nominated over the last three years – including winners Wolf Alice and Dave – is no fluke. We must continue to adapt to meet the changing needs of UK music creators so that with long-term funding partnerships and industry collaboration we can play a crucial role in breaking down huge barriers in order to support the creation of more great music in the years to come.”

In the last 2 years, 12 of the Mercury Prize nominees including the winners Wolf Alice and Dave have received direct PRS Foundation support. With the addition of this year’s nominees, PRS Foundation supported artists have made up almost half of the nominations over the last 3 years.