A comment on funding from Natalie Wade, director of not-for-profit consultancy Small Green Shoots, which creates and develops music projects and offers support to music creatives.
We are often reminded that the creative industries make a significant contribution to our economy, and that British music punches far above its weight. The industry employs more than 120,000 people and has a turnover of £3.9bn per year, according to DCMS figures. Yet despite this contribution, there is very little public funding for music - especially in the contemporary sector. Why is this, especially at a time when the economy is desperate for growth?
We are often reminded that the creative industries make a significant contribution to our economy, and that British music punches far above its weight. The industry employs more than 120,000 people and has a turnover of £3.9bn per year, according to DCMS figures. Yet despite this contribution, there is very little public funding for music - especially in the contemporary sector. Why is this, especially at a time when the economy is desperate for growth?
I often hear the argument that contemporary music should be commercially-driven rather than receive public subsidy, which is, in effect, the ‘cream rising to the top’ theory. Interestingly, the theory doesn’t seem to apply to classical music in the same way.
Indeed, Arts Council England (ACE) earmarks 79.5 percent of its RFO (regularly-funded organisations) programme to classical, opera, musical theatre, chamber music and similar genres, with only 1.02 percent set aside to fund contemporary popular music projects. The other 18 percent or so goes to world music, jazz, experimental and community music organisations.
A decade ago, ACE launched a ‘sustainability’ programme to offset a downturn in the classical recording industry, and it recently noted that it ‘has helped these genres excel and expand audiences to such a degree that some observers are hailing a “golden age” for classical music.’ Given all the problems facing the contemporary music business, perhaps we need a similar programme too?
I’m not talking about throwing large investments at projects aimed squarely at the top of the charts. Most of us in the industry are small or micro businesses who have to make every penny look like a pound. I have witnessed at first hand how a few thousands can transform a project, making it sustainable and driving growth.
To give it its due, for more than a decade, the ACE-supported British Underground organisation has backed then-unknown artists at international showcases as varied as Elbow, Plan B, Amy Winehouse and James Blake. All of these acts have gone on to do great things. But there are many more opportunities to invest in cutting-edge creative talent.
Just as importantly, I believe passionately that return on investment shouldn’t just be measured in purely commercial terms. Funding is often ‘public money’ after all, so it must have a public benefit. And, while I am not saying that funding for opera and orchestral music should be scrapped, I think the creative sector should transform its existing funding models to reach a wider range of people. This means reconsidering broader funding priorities, and the wider benefits.
Take the example of Marcus Campbell. Two years ago he was in an exclusion unit but, following a paid apprenticeship on a PRS for Music Foundation/ACE-funded music project created by Small Green Shoots, which led to placements at Universal and AEG, he has just received backing to develop an online music promotion platform where he is employing two other young people. And he is far from being alone. By investing in a wider range of music – and wider range of people making it happen – we will reap the benefits for years to come.
Comments from around the industry:
Billy Grant / Managing Director / TwoPointNine and Jayded Records
‘As a small record label and management company, funding has been essential for to expand our creative options. What we find easy is coming up with creative ideas to enable our artists to progress. What is sometimes difficult is finding the money to put these ideas into place.
‘Funding has enabled companies like us to be able to think out the box and come up with really creative solutions to help developing our artists. Funding encourages creativity for small music companies like ours and ensures that we are able to deliver the ideas we come up with. Without the funding, companies like ourselves may not take as many risks, hence, stemming the creativity of companies.’
Crispin Parry / CEO and Creative Director / British Underground
‘For over a decade British Underground has supported new talent at international events. Starting with Elbow and Oxide and Neutrino at the first British Showcase at SxSW in 2002, through Plan B, Jamie Woon and Amy Winehouse at our Live from London gigs in New York to funding James Blake and Everything Everything via British Music Abroad in 2011, we have celebrated the cutting edge of the UK’s creativity.’
Matthew Hanratty / Media Relations Office / Arts Council England
‘Through our open access Grants for the arts scheme we support contemporary music artists and organisations. This has included The Great Escape and Como No, for its La Linea festival.
We encourage people to use grants for the arts to pilot new ideas and approaches, which can then go on to become self-sustaining. This is the best way to start a funding relationship with us.
We also provided seed-funding to Magnetic Man (a collaboration between Benga, Skream and Artwork) to allow them to try something different, and now they’re signed to Universal and playing to massive crowds. Also, British Underground is an organisation we support, which works with the commercial music sector. It has provided support to five of this year’s Mercury Prize nominees.
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Indeed, Arts Council England (ACE) earmarks 79.5 percent of its RFO (regularly-funded organisations) programme to classical, opera, musical theatre, chamber music and similar genres, with only 1.02 percent set aside to fund contemporary popular music projects. The other 18 percent or so goes to world music, jazz, experimental and community music organisations.
A decade ago, ACE launched a ‘sustainability’ programme to offset a downturn in the classical recording industry, and it recently noted that it ‘has helped these genres excel and expand audiences to such a degree that some observers are hailing a “golden age” for classical music.’ Given all the problems facing the contemporary music business, perhaps we need a similar programme too?
I’m not talking about throwing large investments at projects aimed squarely at the top of the charts. Most of us in the industry are small or micro businesses who have to make every penny look like a pound. I have witnessed at first hand how a few thousands can transform a project, making it sustainable and driving growth.
To give it its due, for more than a decade, the ACE-supported British Underground organisation has backed then-unknown artists at international showcases as varied as Elbow, Plan B, Amy Winehouse and James Blake. All of these acts have gone on to do great things. But there are many more opportunities to invest in cutting-edge creative talent.
Just as importantly, I believe passionately that return on investment shouldn’t just be measured in purely commercial terms. Funding is often ‘public money’ after all, so it must have a public benefit. And, while I am not saying that funding for opera and orchestral music should be scrapped, I think the creative sector should transform its existing funding models to reach a wider range of people. This means reconsidering broader funding priorities, and the wider benefits.
Take the example of Marcus Campbell. Two years ago he was in an exclusion unit but, following a paid apprenticeship on a PRS for Music Foundation/ACE-funded music project created by Small Green Shoots, which led to placements at Universal and AEG, he has just received backing to develop an online music promotion platform where he is employing two other young people. And he is far from being alone. By investing in a wider range of music – and wider range of people making it happen – we will reap the benefits for years to come.
Comments from around the industry:
Billy Grant / Managing Director / TwoPointNine and Jayded Records
‘As a small record label and management company, funding has been essential for to expand our creative options. What we find easy is coming up with creative ideas to enable our artists to progress. What is sometimes difficult is finding the money to put these ideas into place.
‘Funding has enabled companies like us to be able to think out the box and come up with really creative solutions to help developing our artists. Funding encourages creativity for small music companies like ours and ensures that we are able to deliver the ideas we come up with. Without the funding, companies like ourselves may not take as many risks, hence, stemming the creativity of companies.’
Crispin Parry / CEO and Creative Director / British Underground
‘For over a decade British Underground has supported new talent at international events. Starting with Elbow and Oxide and Neutrino at the first British Showcase at SxSW in 2002, through Plan B, Jamie Woon and Amy Winehouse at our Live from London gigs in New York to funding James Blake and Everything Everything via British Music Abroad in 2011, we have celebrated the cutting edge of the UK’s creativity.’
Matthew Hanratty / Media Relations Office / Arts Council England
‘Through our open access Grants for the arts scheme we support contemporary music artists and organisations. This has included The Great Escape and Como No, for its La Linea festival.
We encourage people to use grants for the arts to pilot new ideas and approaches, which can then go on to become self-sustaining. This is the best way to start a funding relationship with us.
We also provided seed-funding to Magnetic Man (a collaboration between Benga, Skream and Artwork) to allow them to try something different, and now they’re signed to Universal and playing to massive crowds. Also, British Underground is an organisation we support, which works with the commercial music sector. It has provided support to five of this year’s Mercury Prize nominees.
Got something to say? Make your voice heard! Open Mic is a space for our members and readers to raise a subject for discussion.
Send your story and photos to magazine@prsformusic.com with the subject ‘Open Mic'.
(We reserve the right to edit and select submissions before publishing)
