Submit Entries for Early Career Promoter Fund (UK)

Deadline: 30-Sep-26

The Early Career Promoter Fund provides grants and capacity building support to independent early career music promoters based in England. The fund is designed to help promoters scale up their activities, strengthen their skills, develop new audiences, and contribute to the growth of the grassroots music sector. Grants of up to £3,500 are available to support activities such as booking, programming, and promoting live music events, as well as capacity building opportunities including mentoring, coaching, workshops, masterclasses, and networking.

About the Early Career Promoter Fund

The Early Career Promoter Fund supports independent music promoters who are at an early stage of their careers and are working to develop their activities in England. The fund recognises the important role that independent promoters play in the grassroots music sector by creating opportunities for artists, introducing audiences to diverse performers, and supporting live music activity. Funding can help promoters develop their programming, reach new audiences, build professional skills, and increase the scale of their promotional activities. How Much Funding Is Available? Eligible applicants can receive grants of up to £3,500. The funding can support both event-related activities and capacity building that help early career promoters develop their work. An additional access-related funding provision is available for applicants and personnel who have access needs. What Can the Grant Support? The Early Career Promoter Fund can support a wide range of music promotion activities.

Eligible activities can include:

- Booking and programming music events. - Promoting gigs and concerts. - Club nights. - Showcases. - Tours within England. - Other live performances. - Venue hire. - Artist fees. - DJ fees. - Production costs. - Crew costs. - Administration. - Event promotion and marketing. - Mentoring. - Coaching. - Workshops. - Masterclasses. - Networking opportunities. - Other activities that help promoters develop their skills, audiences, and programming. Supporting Gigs, Concerts and Live Performances Funding can be used to support the planning and delivery of a variety of live music activities. This includes gigs, concerts, club nights, showcases, tours, and other performances. Promoters can use eligible funding for associated expenses such as venue hire, artist and DJ fees, production, crew, administration, and promotion. Programming Diverse Artists The fund aims to help promoters develop programming that creates opportunities for diverse artists. Applicants can use the support to strengthen their ability to programme a wider range of artists and create more varied live music experiences for audiences. Developing New Audiences Audience development is another important purpose of the fund. Supported activities can help early career promoters reach new audiences and build stronger connections between artists, promoters, venues, and music communities. Promoters should consider how their activities can contribute to sustainable audience development as they grow their work. Capacity Building Support The fund does not only support live event activity. It also provides support for capacity building. Eligible capacity building activities can include: - Mentoring. - Coaching. - Workshops. - Masterclasses. - Networking opportunities. - Other professional development activities that help promoters build their skills. This support can help early career promoters develop the knowledge and experience needed to expand their activities and strengthen their careers. Access-Related Funding Additional access-related funding support is available for applicants and personnel with access needs. This provision is intended to help address access requirements connected with participation in the funded activity. Who Can Apply? The fund is intended for independent early career music promoters based in England.

Applicants must:

- Be aged 18 or over. - Be based in England. - Be independent music promoters. - Be at an early career stage. - Have promoted at least two events or demonstrate relevant transferable skills. - Not be considered established at regional or national level. Applications can be made by individuals, including individuals operating within promoter collectives. Applications from Promoter Collectives Individuals who operate within promoter collectives can apply. However, the application must be submitted by the individual promoter, rather than by the collective itself. Organisations and collectives applying directly are not eligible. Relevant Transferable Skills Applicants who have not yet promoted two events may still be eligible where they can demonstrate relevant transferable skills. This allows individuals with appropriate experience or skills from related areas to demonstrate their potential as early career music promoters. Who Is Unlikely to Be Eligible? Promoters who are already established regionally or nationally are not the intended beneficiaries of the fund. Promoters employed by major live companies or working for large-scale live promotions companies are also unlikely to be eligible. The fund is specifically designed to support independent early career promoters rather than established or large-scale commercial promotion operations. What Activities Are Not Supported? Certain activities and costs are excluded from the fund.

The fund does not support:

- Events outside England. - Tours outside England. - Capital purchases. - Activities that are already funded elsewhere. - Capacity building undertaken for other members of a collective. Applicants should ensure that their proposed costs and activities fall within the fund’s eligible scope. Geographic Scope The Early Career Promoter Fund supports activities taking place in England. Events and tours outside England are not eligible for support. This means promoters should ensure that the activities included in their funding request are focused on eligibl