skip to main content

New Online Donation Platform for Composers Announced

Sound and Music have received significant funding from the Boltini Trust to lead the development of Music Patron, an ambitious new online platform that will connect composers directly with patrons.

Published: 17 November 2020 | 12:00 AM Updated: 28 April 2021 | 4:31 PM
Photograph of a film composer working at a computer with a musical keyboard under the other hand.
The platform is intended to support more composers to have more time to focus on composing. Photo credit: Shutterstock

Music Patron will be an online platform which provides new and direct sources of funding for composers, by giving them a platform on which to connect directly with patrons.

Music Patron is motivated by the ambition to support more composers to have more time to focus on composing, as well as to attract new audiences and patrons to engage directly with composers and the music they create.

Funding through Music Patron will complement established funding models for composers in the UK, including commission fees, royalty payments, commercial income, project funding and awards.

Music Patron is the brainchild of philanthropist and composer Anthony Bolton, who is also funding the development through his family trust, the Boltini Trust. Music Patron will be made possible with substantial annual grant funding from the Boltini Trust over the next five years, at the end of which time it is hoped that the platform will be self-sustaining as well as channelling significant donations to hundreds of composers across the UK.

Find out more on the Sound and Music website.

Get MU membership today

From gig players to part-time teachers and professional instrumentalists, MU members can access specialist insurance for musicians. This includes Public Liability, Instrument and Equipment Insurance, Accident Insurance, Tax Investigation Insurance, and Professional Indemnity Insurance for music teachers.

Explore our member services

  • Get public liability insurance for musicians
  • Access expert legal support
  • Be represented in your profession
  • Access expert career advice, resources, and training events
  • Connect, network, and get to know the community of musicians

Learn about all membership benefits

Get MU membership today

Continue reading

MU members and Senedd candidates infront of an MU banner.

MU Members Meet Senedd Candidates to Highlight Music’s Role in Wales’s Economy and Communities

Welsh MU members met Labour Senedd candidates to discuss the future of the music industry in Wales, presenting the Union’s manifesto priorities for fair pay, strong public investment, and long-term sustainability across the sector ahead of the 7 May elections.

Published: 19 February 2026

Read more about MU Members Meet Senedd Candidates to Highlight Music’s Role in Wales’s Economy and Communities
The BBC Symphony Orchestra onstage at th BBC Proms. A huge crowd watches in a lit up room.

Protect Our BBC: Your Chance to Shape its Future

As the BBC Charter comes up for renewal, the MU is urging members to respond to the consultation and support the vital role the BBC plays in sustaining jobs, commissioning new work and underpinning the UK’s music industry. Use our template email to have your say before 10 March.

Published: 19 February 2026

Read more about Protect Our BBC: Your Chance to Shape its Future