Music Venue Trust and PRS Foundation have announced a new partnership aimed at encouraging more young women and gender minorities to break into promoting live music.
The scheme, which builds on the success of the Fightback: Grassroots Promoter pilot project in 2018, will offer a raft of training, mentoring and practical support to young women and gender minorities who want to learn the skills to become an independent promoter.
Applications open in September and participants will work towards shows in grassroots music venues across the UK in spring 2020. The project will be managed by Music Venue Trust and is supported by PRS Foundation.
Beverley Whitrick, strategic director, Music Venue Trust, said: “The grassroots music venues network is full of amazing people, but fresh blood is always needed to ensure the sustainability of these venues. Strong, diverse teams need young talent and FB:GP is a way to nurture that. We are excited to work with PRS Foundation on taking it forward.”
It is vital that we ensure there are opportunities and support available for women behind the scene as well as on stage
Joe Frankland
PRS Foundation
Joe Frankland, CEO, PRS Foundation said, "It is vital that we ensure there are opportunities and support available for women behind the scenes as well as on stage, to bring us closer to a more representative industry and increase the routes and networks to the huge pool of exciting talented music creators we have from different backgrounds across the UK. It has been great to see this happening already with the last round of supported promoters booking brilliant emerging artists such as Gal Pals, Rebecca Garton, Sadie and Shunaji.”
FB:GP promises to equip new and early career promoters with that knowledge and skills they need to embark on a career in promoting. The project will also underwrite any shows that make a loss, removing the financial stress to ensure the promoters can focus on putting on the best show they can.
The programme is designed for young women and gender minorities who are interested in promoting but not yet taken the first step, or those who have put on a few shows and feel they need further training and advice. People who fit the criteria and are aged 18-25 can fill out the application form here.
