The Beatport Group Announces Recipients of Second Annual Diversity + Parity Fund

05 October 2023 - Press release

The Beatport Group announced today the recipients of its second annual Diversity + Parity Fund, which will distribute grants totalling $150,000 to accelerate gender parity and diversity across the music industry. Change The Beat, Last Night A DJ Saved My Life, ONE OFF TRAKS, Other Village People, Saffron, and We Are Moving The Needle are this year’s grantees. Established last year, The Diversity + Parity Fund underscores Beatport's commitment to reshaping the music industry into a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable space for all.

The selected organizations represent a broad range of initiatives, including: festivals, conferences, writing camps, and queer film screenings. Over the next year, The Beatport Group will support each recipient with strategy, community outreach, editorial and social media support, and more.

The Diversity + Parity Fund, represents Beatport's desire to foster a music industry that reflects the diverse tapestry of talent and voices within it. In its inaugural year, The Beatport Group awarded $100,000 to Future Female Sounds, Lady of the House, and #FORTHEMUSIC. This year’s recipients emerged from a pool of more than 150 submissions spanning the globe.

“The electronic music community is filled with vibrant groups of creative people who want to make our industry and world better,” said Sofia Ilyas, Chief Community Officer of The Beatport Group. “The recipients of our second annual Diversity + Parity Fund exemplify the spirit of positive change, and it is our hope that their endeavors will resonate in powerful ways across our industry.”

Change the Beat – Canada

Founded by Sydney Blu, Change the Beat (23by23) has been at the forefront of transforming the music landscape since its inception in December 2021. With 500 members joining their vibrant community and over 50 brand new female, trans, and non-binary artists recognized and rewarded for their contributions, Change the Beat (23by23) is a testament to the power of inclusivity and mentorship.

The year 2023/24 marks the commencement of Change the Beat (23by23’s) next stage—to disseminate their message globally through a series of club events and showcases while also adding an education/mentorship chapter. They will also continue their monthly remix contests partnering with top independent dance labels and signing new artists on a monthly basis. "Change the Beat" events will take center stage in nightclubs and festival stages, and feature top-tier headliners and accomplished alumni, all with the goal of spotlighting the music cultivated through their program.

Last Night A DJ Saved My Life – United Kingdom

The Last Night A DJ Saved My Life foundation, founded by Jonny Lee, stands as one of the electronic music industry's leading charities. Combining music and goodwill, the foundation empowers children and young people worldwide through fundraising initiatives that support grassroots projects, offering youth the chance to build a brighter future. In partnership with Getaway Girls, an organization dedicated to building confidence, skills, and aspirations in young women.

The grant will allow the foundation's Get Equipped project to focus on training 24 girls in DJing and 8 in dance music production. The project spans 8 weeks, enhancing skills in a pre-existing media room in Leeds, U.K. DJing training equips girls to deliver a 1-hour set in their chosen genre.

ONE OFF TRAKS - Australia

ONE OFF TRAKS is a cutting-edge writing camp collaboration and platform by One Day Entertainment, Offbeat Collective and Elefant Traks. Founded by Jannah Beth, Carolina De La Piedra, Nazlican Eren & Minori Udea, ONE OFF TRAKS platforms women, trans and non-binary creatives and brings them together to create world class songs.

This grant will ensure the continuation and growth of the writing camp in 2024. ONE OFF TRAKS will bring together selected artists for a week long camp as well as secure showcase opportunities for the artists and release a mixtape from the camp. The camp includes keynote sessions by industry leaders in A&R, sync, publishing, PR, booking, and more.

Other Village People - South Africa

Other Village People (OVP) creates transformative experiences for the LGBTQIAP2S+ communities, providing a space for liberation, self-expression, and authenticity. Founded in 2015 in Durban, South Africa by Andiswa Dlamini and Kefiloe Siwisa, OVP emerged in response to the lack of LGBTQIAP2S+ social spaces. Under OVP's umbrella, three queer-centered platforms—SSS (Same Sex Saturday), Grounded, and Queertopia—have thrived.

The fund powers OVP's newest endeavor Queertopia: a 3-day festival celebrating South African contemporary queer nightlife culture and movements. The festival platforms queer artists and includes a multidisciplinary program led by local queer creatives and organizations.

Saffron - United Kingdom

Founded by Laura Lewis-Paul, Saffron's mission is to advance equality in music tech by carving out safer, inclusive spaces for those underrepresented in the sector. Saffron's transformative initiative represents a significant stride toward catalyzing inclusivity and dynamism within the music tech and electronic music industries.

Saffron will empower 20 Black creatives in the UK through community building, peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, and learning opportunities. The 20 participants of the project will be selected through an open call, welcoming applications from all Black women, trans, and nonbinary individuals aspiring to advance their careers in the music industry. With Saffron's unique expertise as a music tech community, they will particularly emphasize support for emerging music producers, DJs, and sound engineers.

We Are Moving The Needle - United States

US-based We Are Moving The Needle (WAMTN), founded in 2021 by GRAMMY-winning and 8x nominated mastering engineer Emily Lazar, is radically reshaping the future of the recording industry through a lens of gender equity and inclusivity.

Presented by We Are Moving The Needle, the In CTRL symposium is poised to break down barriers and convene excellence. The gathering brings together leading artists, engineers, producers, songwriters, and entrepreneurs to shape the future of the industry. In CTRL seeks to empower industry leaders to enact change, with sessions focusing on equity and AI, the future of labor in the industry, uplifting equity and inclusion through job placement and networking, and a celebration of diversity and equity in the music industry. The symposium will tour through Los Angeles, New York, and Nashville, bringing its message of change to key music hubs.