Music-led Creative Collaboration

Help Musicians is an independent UK charity for professional musicians of all genres, from starting out through to retirement. We help at times of crisis, but also at times of opportunity, giving people the extra support they need at a crucial stage that could make or break their career.

Collaboration between musicians and creatives such as lighting designers, choreographers and visual artists can make music even more powerful. However, financing these activities can be a barrier to making them a reality, which is why Help Musicians can provide financial support to help develop new ideas and create a collaborative end product with music at its heart.

What Can You Apply For? Musicians can apply for up to £5,000 to undertake a UK-based collaboration between themselves and another non-music artists, for example storytellers, lighting designers, choreographers, technologists, scientists, gaming designers, theatre directors, visual artists etc.

You can apply to cover costs for:

• Venue and rehearsal space
• Recording costs (live or documentation - but not studio recording)
• Travel
• Access
• Accommodation
• Fees for musicians, artists or collaborators’ time to allow for your collaboration to happen
• Any other reasonable costs associated with your creative collaboration

There should be an end result of the collaboration, such as a body of work created for an upcoming recording or a new performance. Overall, the collaboration should push the boundaries of what you do as a music creator or performer, exploring or testing something that you are not currently able to achieve without support

Who Can Apply? This support is available to musicians of all genres and disciplines, including but not limited to: instrumentalists, composers, producers, conductor, vocalists, singersongwriters. You can also apply as a group of musicians if you’re looking to develop your skills collectively.

To apply you must:

• Be aged over 18
• Be in financial need and without significant backing
• Already have an active career and be able to clearly demonstrate your work to date
• Be a UK resident
• We refer to the UK residency rules noting that you are eligible for our support:
• If you are a UK National living in the UK you automatically qualify
• If you are a non-UK National, you have been living in the UK for at least 183 days and have the legal right to live in the UK