Help Musicians UK, the independent charity for musicians, has today opened the second round of its most celebrated fund, Do It Differently.
Combining support for creative activity, business development and health and wellbeing, it represents the most comprehensive suite of help available to independently-driven creators of original music.
The UK-wide fund has already been awarded to a host of projects across the country, from Scotland to Brighton, London to Wales and several locations in-between, spanning genres as broad as punk, chamber, hip hop and pop.
This year the Do It Differently Fund continues to seek out promising music composers, songwriters, rock bands, electronic producers, DJs, grime MCs, reggae vocalists, hip hop collectives, beatboxers and beyond to progress the charity’s mission to create a world where musicians thrive.
The fund offers individuals or bands/ensembles of six members or less, a grant of up to £3,000 towards their creative output. A further £2,000 is set aside for each successful applicant to go towards business planning and wellbeing services available directly from Help Musicians UK and its industry partners.
What does Do It Differently provide support for
Creative development – With up to £3,000 dedicated to recording, releasing, touring and live development, the fund can facilitate a range of opportunities relating to the creation of new music. The fund can be spent on a range of activity including time to create, session musicians’ fees, visual marketing, merchandise production and more.
Business development – Working in conjunction with respected business expert Jonathan Robinson, founder of ThinkMusic, Do It Differently matches awarded creators with industry experts for focussed business mentoring sessions around topics including small scale live and touring, funding and business planning, digital strategies and more.
Health and wellbeing – Recognising the unique emotional and physical pressures of being a music creator, Do It Differently offers a suite of health and wellbeing opportunities where needed. Successful applicants will gain access to the charity’s range of Health and Welfare services, including the Musicians Hearing Health Scheme and Music Minds Matter, the free support service providing around the clock advice and a listening ear for people in the industry.
Recipients can also access a free clinical assessment from British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) for any performance-related health problem they may have, as well as opt-in access to the Healthy Touring Programme, also in association with BAPAM.
Find out more about how to apply for the Do It Differently fund on Help Musicians UK's website.
Read the MU’s advice on completing a funding application form.