Cost Of Living: A list of help and resources

On Tuesday 14 February, Mixmag launched our series exploring how the current UK cost of living crisis is impacting those who work, live and love dance music and club culture.

Following a difficult two years for electronic music in the UK during the pandemic, the electronic music scene in the UK is being faced with an even bigger challenge. The combined effects of inflation, soaring energy bills, Brexit and stuttered recovery from COVID-19 are now proving to be an near-impossible hurdle for our industry. More needs to be done to save our nightlife venues, to support our artists, to make music accessible to everyone and to keep our culture alive.

We'll be adding a list of our features in publish order below, as well as a list of resources available to people In dance music and beyond who are being impacted by the cost of living crisis, we will continue to update it in the coming weeks.

How The Cost Of Living Crisis Is Impacting Nightclubs And Promoters

Kicking off our Cost of Living series, Megan Townsend looks at the catastrophic knock-on effect that higher energy prices are having on nightlife spaces and promoters in the UK
Read the feature

How The Cost Of Living Crisis is Impacting Festivals
For the second part of our Cost of Living crisis, Isaac Muk looks at how soaring costs and changing consumer habits could spell a tough summer ahead for festival organisers
Read the feature

How The Cost Of Living Crisis is Impacting Radio Stations
Next up in our Cost Of Living Series, Gemma Ross finds out the detrimental impact of increased studio rent and changing audience habits, and why some radio stations have struggled to keep the lights on
Read the feature

How The Cost Of Living Crisis Is Impacting DJs And Producers

In the fourth instalemnt of our Cost Of Living series, Patrick Hinton investigates the scale of problems facing dance music in 2023 and considers solutions, speaking to the industry's most visible workers: artists
Read the feature

UK-wide

• Audio UK: Audio UK is a trade association helping grow and promote the UK audio production sector by providing opportunities, training, and funding.
• Ballantine's x Soho Radio True Music Grant: A scheme awarding one selected grassroots radio station and one grassroots record store £5,000 each.
• British Council UK music funding: The British council regularly give funding to musicians and music organisations, they are currently offering a Cultural Protection Fund small grant that you can apply for here.
• Community Radio Fund: The Community Radio Fund supports major costs of running Ofcom-licensed community radio stations. The next round of funding will take place at the end of 2023.
• Help musicians grant: Help Musicians offer grants to artists who are in need of emergency help, considering those with £500 a month shortfall to be in severe financial hardship.
• Help musicians resources: For those who don't qualify they also have a number of resources and programmes to help musicians who are struggling — such as advice, career help and workshops.
• Musicians Union Benevolent fund: The Musicians Union offer small grants to artists suffering with severe financial hardship.
• Music Venue Trust Emergency Response: The Music Venue Trust offer assistance and advice to venues being threatened with closure from issues such as noise complaints and licensing issues.
• Music Venue Trust Pipeline Investment Fund: The Music Venue Trust offer small-scale grants of up to £5000 to grass roots music venues to help cover capital costs (such as equipment) or staff training.
• PRS International Showcase Fund: Offers support for UK artists, bands, songwriters and producers to reach a worldwide audience through performing at various international festivals and conferences. It is run in partnership with British Underground, UK Trade and Investment, Arts Council England and the Musicians’ Union.
• PRS Foundation grants for music creators and organisations: PRS offer funding for both individuals/artists and businesses.
• PRS women who make music fund: PRS offer a grant of up to £5000 to help grow female artists' careers. The deadline is 11 September 2023.
• PRS Power Up fund: The PRS Power UP fund aims to support Black creatives and organisations and address disparities within the industry. The deadline for this year's fund is on the February 20.
• PRS PPL fund (Wales, Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region): Helps artists begin their careers with grants between £5-£15k. The deadline is November 3 2023.
• Royal Society of Musicians support: The RSM offer advice and financial support to help artists suffering from financial hardship, as well as ill-health.
• The Licensed Trade Charity grants: Turn2Us is a licensed trade charity that support workers, or former workers, in licensed premises'. They offer grants to help with financial hardship, including rent/deposits and household bills.
• The Radio Academy: The Radio Academy is a UK-based charity promoting excellence in UK radio running networking events, talks, and regional training days to aid those in the industry.
• Youth Music Network NextGen Fund: Offers 18-25 year old creatives (or 18-30 if they identify as disabled or d/Deaf) grants of up to £2,500 to bring their ideas to life.
• Youth Music Network Trailblazer Fund: Grants of between £2,000 and £30,000 for established music organisation that support young people who face barriers to make, learn and earn in music
• Youth Music Network Catalyser Fund: Grants of between £30,001 and £300,000 for established music organisation that support young people who face barriers to make, learn and earn in music.
• Youth Music Network Incubator Fund: Grants of £5,000 to £30,000 for businesses, collectives and non-profit groups working in the music industry to create opportunities for people aged 18-25 (particularly from marginalised communities) to begin a career in music.

England:

• Arts Council England Developing your Creative Practice: £2,000-£10,000 grant to creatives to take time focus on their creative work.
• Arts Council England Music Support: Music industry help group to support those who work in music affected by mental health issues and/or addiction.
• Free DJ workshops for 18 to 25-year-olds living in Haringey, London
• The Fair helpline: London festival company has launched a career advice line for new music industry professionals.
• Rye Wax electronic music youth mentorship programme: Peckham venue and record store Rye Wax is running a new electronic music youth mentorship programme for aspiring artists aged between 18 and 25 years-old.

Wales:

• Arts Council Wales Investment Review: Applications are now open for Arts Council Wales' multi-year grant

Scotland:

• Creative Scotland funding: Creative Scotland are funded by the National Lottery and the Scottish government, and offer a range of schemes for music makers, organisations and ideas.
• Cultural Enterprise Office funding: The Cultural Enterprise Office issues support and funding to creative businesses in Scotland, whether they are at the idea stage, established or want to change directions
  
• The Right Track: New youth music programme launched in Glasgow teaching production and DJ skills from June 29 - August 3, 2023.

Northern Ireland:

• Belfast 2024 Creative Programme open call: Promoters/artists in Belfast can submit ideas that celebrate creativity in Belfast and receiving funding to make them happen, applications will be open until March 8, 2023.
• Arts Council NI funding for organisations: Arts Council NI offer a range of support schemes for arts organisations in Northern Ireland.

Ireland:

• Sound & Vision 4: Radio broadcasters in Ireland - especially those in the Irish language - can apply for a grant when the next rounds open. This is funded through the television licensing fee

Any funding/help sources we've left off this list that you think we should know about? Send them over to [email protected].