Working to support even more musicians, new funding round grows its value by £20,000 and adds pivotal health package to its offer

(Monday November 4) Help Musicians, the nearly 100-year-old independent charity, and MOBO Trust, the charitable arm of MOBO, have joined forces for a third year to continue and expand their support of diverse musical styles and artists from underrepresented backgrounds.

This year, the MOBO Help Musicians Fund has grown from £40,000 to £60,000, increasing its value for the progression of promising music creators. The Fund has previously supported activities such as the creation and promotion of several EPs and debut albums, vocal coaching, music video production, mixing and mastering, live development and much more.

Recognising the importance of taking early intervention to protect musicians’ hearing, Help Musicians is providing fully-subsidised access to its Musicians’ Hearing Health Scheme for all awardees in 2019. Through the Musicians’ Hearing Health Scheme, MOBO Help Musicians Fund recipients will receive a full audiological assessment, including a hearing test, and ACS PRO series custom-made ear protection.

The MOBO Help Musicians Fund exists to champion those who can demonstrate high quality musical output, an entrepreneurial spirit and the potential to achieve a national or international impact. It especially works to support the musical fields of hip hop, grime, RnB, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and afrobeats.

Applications opened today on the Help Musicians website here and will close on Monday 25 November, 5pm. Individuals or groups of up to 4 members can apply for up to £2,000. Groups of 5 people or more (gospel choirs and jazz groups for example) can apply for up to £3,000.

Kanya King CBE, MOBO Founder and CEO, comments:

“On behalf of MOBO Trust, we are incredibly pleased to once again join forces with an organisation whose values align so closely with our own. Help Musicians’ commitment to encouraging diversity within the talent funding space means the MOBO Help Musicians Fund can grow and flourish in a very natural way. The addition of the health package is further proof of what makes this partnership so pioneering and vital.”

Claire Gevaux, Director of Programme, Help Musicians said:

“We’re delighted to re-open applications for the MOBO Help Musicians Fund 2019 in partnership with the renowned MOBO Trust. Now in its third year, and having already grown from supporting 11 artists in its first round to 20 in its second, we’re excited to uncover even more talent in 2019 with an increased budget and an enhanced package of support on offer. Help Musicians wants a world where musicians thrive, and we recognise the need to support musicians’ health and wellbeing as well as their creative careers. For musicians applying to this fund, the addition of the Musicians Hearing Health Scheme will offer an enhanced package of preventative support for musicians emerging and working in genres outside of the commercial heartland.”

Applications can be made via the Help Musicians website and application form here.

ENDS

For further information contact:
Help Musicians UK: Liz Stokes, [email protected] / 0207 239 9137 
MOBO: [email protected]

Applications are being accepted from today on the Help Musicians website here and will close on Monday 25 November, 5pm.

Notes to editors:

About Help Musicians:

Help Musicians is an independent charity, with an extraordinary history. For nearly 100 years, it has provided a broad spectrum of help, support and opportunities to empower musicians aged 18+, at any stage of their career, from times of great need to times of opportunity, providing a lifetime of support when it is needed most.

The charity is uniquely placed to take a personalised approach with each individual supported, through its integrated programme that offers Creative Development and Health & Welfare services. 

In 2018, Help Musicians 2018 saw a 67% increase in demand for its services across both creative development and health and welfare. Help Musicians aims to make a meaningful difference to the lives of even more musicians by growing reach and becoming even more national in the coming years.

The charity can do more through collaboration and builds strong relationships within the music industry, the health sector and beyond to promote and advocate for musicians’ wellbeing, mental health, hearing health, career progression and more.

With a research-led approach, Help Musicians shares insights, knowledge, resources and best practice, while developing preventative support and initiatives to sustain careers and ultimately improve working conditions for musicians across the sector. The charity is passionate about a world where musicians thrive.

To support Help Musicians click here https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/support-our-work/make-a-donation, email [email protected] , call 0207 239 9100 or donate just £3 today by texting MUSIC1 to 70331.

About MOBO:

MOBO Organisation and the MOBO Awards were established in 1996 by Kanya King CBE to motivate, elevate and celebrate the outstanding achievements of artists in under-served musical genres, from soul, RnB and reggae to hip hop, grime, gospel and afrobeats. Now in its 23rd year, MOBO is a pioneer in its field and not just an event, but a movement.  Over the years, MOBO has become much more than just an awards ceremony, it is now an iconic, year-round, agenda-setting global brand that successfully champions diversity and inclusion in music and broader cultural arenas. It strives to support emerging and independent talent and has provided an early platform for some of the nation’s most-loved artists, from Craig David, to Stormzy, Stefflon Don and Naughty Boy.

MOBO pursues its purpose to create more opportunities and access for diverse talent across the creative industries in film, TV, fashion, art, sport and media.  A drive to deliver social and cultural change is embedded in the organisation’s DNA. With an ongoing successful talent development programme, a number of Executive Fellowships in the creative workplace and a host of annual training and educational opportunities for young people, MOBO influences the lives of hundreds of thousands of people every year. In 2016, the charitable foundation MOBO Trust was established to support young people realise their potential in a wide range of disciplines within the creative sector.