Music Creators Growth Fund – Round One

This fund gives established English music creators — artists, bands, composers, DJs, producers and songwriters — £10,000 to £20,000 to take a deliberate next step in their career, over a project lasting up to 18 months. The money can go toward making and recording new music, releasing and promoting it, touring at home or abroad, networking, general business development, or equipment, which is capped at a quarter of the budget.

It's aimed at people with a real track record rather than people starting out: you need at least three years of active practice, and to have earned a minimum of £5,000 from music in one of the last three financial years (five, if you've had time away from the industry). Arts Council England also expects some professional infrastructure around you — management, a publishing deal, or similar — though it says it can flex that for artists without a formal team. The one firm financial condition is match funding: at least 25% of your total budget has to come from cash sources outside Arts Council England.

Round One opens 1 October and closes 29 October 2026, with decisions by 22 December (a second round follows, closing 3 February 2027). You apply through the Arts Council's grants portal with one example of your music and three separate pieces of evidence of professional achievement. Assessors are looking for genuine growth potential and realistic, well-targeted use of the funds.