PRS Foundation, the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development, together with Jerwood Arts, the leading independent funder for early-career UK artists, curators and producers, announce today (29 September 2021) the latest talented composers to receive the ground-breaking Composers’ Fund are:
- Donna McKevitt – develop and create a 15-minute-long piece for voices and orchestra
- Matthew Kaner – release of debut solo album
- Sion Trefor – release of debut album
- Neil Luck – time to deconstruct and develop composing practice
- Benjamin Tassie – design and build instruments to record a new album
- Claire Victoria Roberts – record and release an EP
Elizabeth Sills, Grants & Programmes Manager at PRS Foundation said. “Congratulations to all six talented composers in this round of funding. It is so important at this unprecedented time that composers at crucial stages in their careers continue to have access to this type of targeted and timely support to be able to take that next step in their development. Together with our friends at Jerwood Arts, we’re looking forward to seeing the impact of this support on their careers over the coming months.”
Jon Opie, Deputy Director of Jerwood Arts said “Jerwood Arts is delighted again to partner with PRS Foundation and support the Composers Fund. We appreciate that funding for individuals is scarce and precious, now more than ever. Composers continue to find it hard to maintain independent careers, especially when it comes to working on bold and more experimental projects. We’re excited for the six artists supported in this round to use this timely funding to have more control over the new work they can make over the coming months.”
The Composers’ Fund supports the creative and professional development of talented composers with a strong track record and at pivotal stages in their career. Launched by PRS Foundation in 2016 the fund offers grants of up to £10,000 to support and enable composers to realise projects and ambitions that may not be possible through traditional commissioning models.
Since its launch the fund has supported projects such as recordings, the promotion and performance of existing works, international co-commissions and development, performer collaboration, residencies, sabbaticals or childcare costs and project or promotional support.
This round is the third of the new partnership with Jerwood Arts which enables increased support to composers that meet the fund’s criteria and whose activities take place in the UK and who are less than 10 years into their career.
Both organisations recognise the impact the COVID-19 crisis is having on composer careers’ and this has been reflected in the criteria and decision-making processes.
The next deadline to apply for Composers’ Fund support is Monday 25 October 2021 at 6pm. Find out more about The Composers’ Fund on the PRS Foundation website here
