Funding Grants and Opportunities for Disabled Musicians and Creatives

Navigating the world of music funding can feel overwhelming, but there are incredible organisations offering grants, bursaries, and support to help you thrive. We’ve listed five organisations to help you access funding opportunities as a Deaf, disabled, or neurodivergent artist or music professional. 

Drake Music  

Drake Music is a Disabled-led charity that pioneers innovation in music technology. They create accessible music making experiences, include people in music making at all levels, and provide opportunities for Disabled and nondisabled people to make music together.  

  • DM Collective – Through commissions, bursaries, mentoring, training, and residencies, DM Collective supports the development of early-career Disabled musicians. Currently, this support is available through applying to their Emergents Programme. 
  • Accessible Instrument Development Fund – The Accessible Instrument Development Fund offers 2 seed funding grants of £1,000 each to support the development of accessible instruments.  

Drake Music provides access support for applicants through application information and materials in alternative formats, including British Sign Language (BSL), audio, downloadable word documents and Easy Read. They also offer application options to be an electronic form, through video or audio recordings, and in BSL. 

Unlimited 

Unlimited are a commissioning programme that supports creative projects by Disabled artists and companies in multiple different art forms. Their aim is to challenge perceptions of Disabled people by commissioning new, ground-breaking and high-quality work. 

  • Unlimited Opportunities – Unlimited share funding and development opportunities regularly, including micro commissions, and micro and partner awards. 

Unlimited provides access support for applicants through providing the application and guidelines in multiple formats, and hosting group or 1:1 application advice sessions. 

PRS Foundation  

PRS Foundation is the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development.    

  • PPL Momentum Music Fund – The PPL Momentum Music Fund offers grants of £5k-£15k for artists/bands based in the UK to advance to the next level of their careers. The fund could be used for activities such as recording, touring and marketing. 
  • PPL Momentum Accelerator (Wales/Liverpool City Region/Tees Valley) – PPL Momentum Accelerator is a targeted scheme to support outstanding artists and bands, and future industry professionals, outside London and who face additional barriers in reaching a crucial career tipping point based on their location. 
  • Women Make Music – Women Make Music supports projects by women, trans and nonbinary songwriters, composers, artists, bands and performers of all genres and backgrounds at different stages of their career, who are writing their own music. 
  • International Showcase Fund – The International Showcase Fund (ISF) grants up to £5,500 for UK-based artists, bands, songwriters and producers who have been invited to perform or create new music at international festivals, song writing camps or conferences. 
  • Composers’ Fund – The Composers’ Fund provides grants of up to £8,000 – £15,000 to composers who are making a significant cultural contribution in the UK and have the potential for greater impact in the UK and overseas. 
  • The Hitmaker Fund – The Hitmaker Fund offers grants of between £5,000 and £10,000 for songwriters and producers who create in popular music genres to further develop their careers and writing/production. 
  • POWER UP – POWER UP is a long-term initiative that supports Black music makers and industry professionals, and addresses anti-Black racism and racial disparities in the music industry. 
  • Early Career Promoter Fund – The Early Career Promoter Fund offers up to £3,500 to help emerging promoters book and promote shows to develop local scenes, support artists and DJs build sustainable careers. 
  • Beyond Boarders – Beyond Boarders offers grants of up to £20,000 and aims to foster and strengthen cross-border collaborations between music creators, performers and presenters. 

PRS Foundation provides access support for applicants. Each grant has different access support, so please refer to the Access Support page on their website. 

Youth Music 

Youth Music is an organisation that champions young people’s right to accessing music. They believe that ‘every young person deserves the chance to transform their life through the power of music,’ and they do this by providing funding for young people and young people’s organisations. 

  • NextGen Fund – The NextGen Fund is a grant of up to £3000 for early career and emerging artists and creatives. The fund can be used to support you to invest in yourself, develop your skills, and bring your ideas to life. If you identify as d/Deaf, disabled, or neurodivergent, you can apply for the NextGen Fund if you are 18-30.  
  • Trailblazer Fund – The Trailblazer Fund is a grant of between £2,000 to £30,000 for organisations in England that run music related projects for young people under 25.  
  • Catalyser Fund – The Catalyser Fund is a grant of between £30,001 and £300,000 for organisations in England who support young people that face barriers to make, learn or earn in music. This fund is for sustaining or scaling-up work, or creating change in the sector. 

Youth Music also offer an Access Fund for disabled applicants who need further support to submit a funding application. Youth Music can also provide alternative formats offer flexible deadlines if requested in advance. 

Help Musicians 

Help Musicians is a charity that supports professional musicians of all genres at vital times in their career.   

  • Next Level Award – The Next Level award is a programme that supports musicians who don’t have the resources to embark on larger, long-term projects. The programme includes 6 hours of one-to-one advice, up to £3,000 towards music activity, online meet-ups, and access to a session delivered by BAPAM.  
  • Fast Track Award – The Fast Track Award offers up to £500 for opportunities that will help you grow or sustain your career as a musician. The funding can be used for things like courses, equipment costs, and costs associated with recording, releasing, and performing.  
  • Peter Whittingham Jazz Award – The Peter Whittingham Jazz Award offers £5,000 and one-to-one business advice to emerging jazz musicians. This aims to support them to build a career in music.  
  • MOBO Help Musicians Amplified – MOBO Help Musicians Amplified is an accelerator programme for producers, DJs and musicians who are creating or performing music of Black origin. This is a 12-month initiative that gives awarded musicians the opportunity to connect with other musicians, access business advice, build industry networks and insights, and receive funding. 
  • Electronic Music Award in association with DJ Mag – Electronic Music Award is an accelerator programme for electronic music producers, DJs and musicians. This is a 12-month initiative that gives awarded musicians the opportunity to connect with other musicians, access business advice, build industry networks and insights, and receive funding. 
  • Support Your Studies – Help Musicians Postgraduate Awards offer up to £5,000 in financial support to people studying or intending to study a postgraduate music performance degree at selected conservatoires. 

Help Musicians also offers accessibility support for applicants. They provide: 

  • The option to apply in writing, by video, or a mixture of both.  
  • A co-applicant function, so that you can add someone else to your account. This gives them the ability to edit and add to your application. 
  • Additional practical support. For example, speaking to a support worker or advocate to help complete the application form, adjusting telephone support sessions to meet your needs, and video calls with a BSL interpreter. 

Accessible Funding Guide

Attitude is Everything’s Accessible Funding Guide is a podcast series designed to demystify the funding process for artists and music professionals, without compromising their wellbeing as a Deaf, disabled or neurodivergent person.

The Accessible Funding Guide is hosted by Digital Content Coordinator Joy Addo. Each episode features key insights, advice and experiences from artists and music industry professionals.

Find out more about the Accessible Funding Guide

About Next Stage

The Next Stage initiative is a programme for Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists and music makers. We work to ensure that artists who have access requirements can thrive within the music industry. 

Find out more about Next Stage

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