The PRS Foundation has announced the first 18 recipients of its Early Career Promoter Fund, granting over £50,000 in support to emerging music promoters across England.

Funded by Arts Council England and DCMS, the initiative is designed to boost grassroots music ecosystems by offering financial support and development opportunities.

The fund aims to support promoters by covering a range of activities such as gig programming, artist fees and capacity-building efforts like mentoring and workshops. Of the first round of grantees, 57% are women or gender-diverse and two-thirds are based outside London.

PRS Foundation grants and programmes manager Ben Price said, “It’s fantastic to see so many exciting projects across England that will provide vital opportunities for promoters to develop their practice, platform talented artists, and build audiences while supporting grassroots music venues and crews.”

The Early Career Promoter Fund, which runs until March 2025, expects to support over 200 promoters with grants of up to £3,500. The next application deadline is 17 September.

Arts Council England director Claire Mera-Nelson said, “The work of a promoter in the grassroots of the music sector can be isolated and challenging, with limited ways for individuals to build their skills and attract investment to support their creative vision. I’m optimistic that the Early Career Promoter Fund will go some way towards addressing these barriers, helping promoters develop their businesses and attracting new audiences to support musicians as their careers develop.”

The 18 early career promoters selected for this first round of funding include:

  • Adam Blackwood (Yorkshire and Humberside) – Organising three gigs at a grassroots venue in Bradford.
  • Alex Day (Local Nocturna) (East of England) – Hosting ambient and experimental dance music events, including a ‘Dance Discourse’ community exchange.
  • Alfie McIntyre (West Midlands) – Launching regular DJ and live music nights alongside collaborative events.
  • Billie Morton Riley (London) – Curating an inclusive club night focused on women, non-binary, and trans DJs.
  • Bipasha Ahmed (London) – Growing Decolonise Fest through training, mentorship, and partnerships.
  • Jack Boynton (North West) – Organising accessible gigs at The Gregson Community Centre in Lancaster.
  • Ed Harding (Elastics) (London) – Hosting an immersive club event featuring live electronic music and DJ sets.
  • Hannah Couch (North East) – Addressing gender imbalance in festival line-ups with the Reb’Elle Festival.
  • Holly Harman (South East) – Presenting a multi-genre concert series across St Leonards venues.
  • James Booton (North West) – Showcasing live acts in Liverpool for BOOT – – – MUSIC Magazine.
  • Julian Capolei (London) – Expanding a series of club events with increasing frequency and partnerships.
  • Natalie Sharp (North West) – Celebrating queer culture and love at Welcome to Soft House.
  • Rebecca Woodcock (Music Sphere) (North East) – Hosting electronic music nights at grassroots venues in Newcastle.
  • Roberta Banks (London) – Organising a residency highlighting the queer Black electronic and classical contemporary community.
  • Shelley Polaine (South West) – Experimenting with Sunday evening gigs to support local musicians and the hospitality sector.
  • Talia Andrea (London) – Organising an all-female festival series featuring DJs, artists, and staff.
  • Vivek Varia (South West) – Scaling up events with larger venues and acts while maintaining accessibility.
  • Will Tang (North West) – Hosting a one-day festival with a strategic marketing campaign.
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