Help Musicians 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.