National charity Youth Music, has launched the Youth Music Recharge Fund supported by People’s Postcode Lottery.
The one-off funding round of £1,750,000 will support around 40 music organisations nationwide to build back post-pandemic, with grants of up to £30,000 a year for three years for successful applicants.
The Youth Music Recharge Fund has been designed in direct response to research the charity undertook last year about how Covid-19 affected youth music-making, which found that 60% of creative organisations want help with funding and income diversification.
The funding will help music organisations focus on improving their capacity and capability to reach young people facing barriers and boosting the wellbeing of staff and volunteers.
The funding can be spent on:
• Salaries and freelance fees
• Communications and marketing
• Operations
• Digital development and strategy
• Income generation activity
• Training
• Organisational development activity
• Other core and development costs
Matt Griffiths, CEO of Youth Music, said: “Music has the power to transform lives for young people, especially those facing barriers because of who they are, where they’re from or what they’re going through. With young people nationwide being deeply impacted by the effects of the pandemic, equalising access to music is more important than ever.
“However, our research shows that opportunities for young people decreased during the pandemic, with 63% of music organisations from our national network reporting that they’ve had fewer resources at the same time as demand for services is increasing.
“This financial boost will ensure that grassroots music projects, and the people leading them, can bounce back better than before. Which means more young people can make, learn and earn in music over the next few years, thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.”
Funding through the National Lottery via Arts Council England, and players of People's Postcode Lottery has enabled Youth Music to increase the number of music organisations it supports in recent years. Last quarter, the charity invested over £3 million in projects nationally, and it is now looking to expand this further.
Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “I’m delighted that thanks to players we are supporting the Youth Music Recharge Fund. We believe in funding projects that provide access, opportunities, and appreciation of music to people of all abilities and backgrounds, and this new fund will do exactly that.”
Applications are open now and will close on Friday, January 14, 2022. Successful applicants will be notified on March 25, 2022.
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