PRS for Music Foundation Starts New Composers' Fund in U.K., to Award £150,000 Annually

The PRS for Music Foundation, which advertises itself as "the only independent funder dedicated to new music of all genres across the U.K." has recently expanded its efforts to include a Composers' Fund. The new fund will be worth £150,000 annually and is aimed specifically at young U.K. composers looking to realize projects that otherwise might not be possible "via traditional commissioning routes". The inaugural deadline to apply for funding is on April 12th, 2016.

Founded in 2000 and located in central London, the PRS for Music Foundation has awarded more than £22m to over 5,200 new music projects. The organization sponsors events, supports musicians, and plays a pivotal role in getting the word out to fans eager to try new things. Widely known for sponsoring composer residencies, talent programs, and showcases in both the U.K. and overseas, the PRS for Music Foundation is now extending its reach to fund composers directly.

As the newest program under the PRS banner, the Composers' Fund has begun a three-year pilot scheme (2016-2018). Stressing as much diversity as possible within this timeframe, successfully funded applicants cannot apply again until after 2018. According to PRS, applicants for the composers' fund are also encouraged to have a "strong track record in their field" and who are already making a significant cultural contribution in the U.K. They must effectively demonstrate how their proposed project will advance their career and the state of the arts.

Testimonials of the PRS for Music organization have already been overwhelmingly positive, with one applicant acknowledging, "It is a delight to be able to communicate with a funding body that actually understands the contexts of promotion and education aspects of non-classical music with enthusiastic, knowledgeable and supportive staff -– a dream come true!" and another, "The Foundation helps us to be more adventurous – indeed it prompts us to innovate."

With £22m already raised in the history of the institution, PRS for Music is well-position in their plan to dole out £150,000 annually to deserving composers. Stressing the need for a fund devoted specifically to composers, Vanessa Reed (Executive Director for PRS for Music Foundation, said "The conversations we’ve been having with composers over the past 2 years revealed the need for composers to have more autonomy, better fees and improved conditions to advance their creative practice."

The PRS for Music Composers' Fund promises to advance the goals of the organization by giving aspiring composers direct access to funding when they need it most. Applicants all across the U.K. are encouraged to devise a project and apply by April 12th for consideration.