Colectiva, Luke RV and Lucia and the Best Boys among the latest artists receiving PPL Momentum Music Fund support

The PPL Momentum Music Fund is the ground-breaking support for artists who have reached a crucial tipping point, have a team already in place and ready to take the next step in their careers. Managed by PRS Foundation, the PPL Momentum Music Fund awards grants of £5,000-£15,000 using funds from PRS Foundation, PPL, Creative Wales and Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

The artists who have been selected by a network of industry experts, are:

Bel Cobain – production, PR, marketing, advertising and expansion of the team
CIEL – recording of debut album
Colectiva (main picture) – recording of debut album
IAMDDB – creative costs, elevating and expanding the visions for their LOVE is WAR Tour
Lizzie Berchie – completing and releasing a new EP, ‘Night Shift’
Luke RV – recording, touring and promoting debut album
Lucia & The Best Boys – UK tour with The Last Dinner Party

The announcement takes the number of acts supported since PPL became headline fund partner in 2020 to 200.

Indie-rock band CIEL said: “This PPL Momentum Music funding enables us to record our debut album. It is crucial in allowing us to take the next step in our careers.”

CIEL

Of the new artists, Welsh artist Luke RV becomes the third act to progress career to PPL Momentum Music Fund level after initially receiving PPL Momentum Accelerator support.

PPL Momentum Accelerator funding supports exciting artists with a growing fanbase and who are working to establish a music industry team. Artists can receive up to £5,000 as well as mentoring from regional and national experts. Early career industry professionals, who play pivotal roles in the local scenes can receive support as combinations of small grants, mentoring or other holistic support.

John Hendrickse, Grants & Programmes Manager at PRS Foundation, said: “Huge congratulations to all 7 artists receiving our pioneering PPL Momentum Music Fund support to enable them to breakthrough to that next level in their careers – I’m very much looking forward to seeing the impact of the support. We know how important targeted support is for music creators at different points in their career. Its fantastic to see Luke RV follow Downtown Kayoto and Chiedu Oraka progress their careers, after initially receiving the PPL Momentum Accelerator support early on, to PPL Momentum Music Fund tipping point level.”

Kate Reilly, Chief Membership & People Officer at PPL, added: “Congratulations to all the new recipients. Having helped 200 acts since we became headline partner for the PPL Momentum Music Fund, we’re delighted to support seven more wonderful acts develop their music careers whether recording, touring or promoting their work in the coming months.”

Luke RV

Joedi Langley, Interim Head of Creative Wales, said: “Luke RV began his rapping career in a small South-West Wales town, where his lyrics focused on his early years and local issues. Since then, his career has gone from strength to strength, having amassed over a million listening streams, collaborated with some other major Welsh artists like Juice Menace and Mace the Great, performed at major UK festivals and even been shortlisted for a Welsh Music Prize. The support from the PPL Momentum fund will give Luke RV a vital boost and create new opportunities for him to create and promote new music, Creative Wales wishes him every success for an exciting future.”

The impact of the PPL Momentum Music Fund

PPL Momentum Music Fund is crucial for both music creators’ careers and the wider industry as the recent 10 Years of Momentum Report (2013-23) found. To date, the fund has awarded over £5.2 million to artists across the whole of the UK, resulting in:

• Helping to generate £22 million for the UK music industry
• Over 500 artists awarded PPL Momentum Music Fund support
• Creation of 275 albums (including Mercury Prize nominated albums and dozens of top twenty chart placements)
• Support for over 300 UK tours and over 1,600 live dates
• Over 7,300 applications received over 40 funding rounds with a 7% success rate of funds being granted

The next deadline to submit an application for PPL Momentum Music Fund support is 5th August 2024 at 6:00pm.  Applications can be made through PRS Foundation’s website.