PRS Foundation, the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development, together with PPL, Creative Wales and Arts Council of Northern Ireland, have revealed the latest artists that will receive support from the PPL Momentum Music Fund and PPL Momentum Sbardun | Accelerator support.
The artists who have been selected by a network of industry experts to receive PPL Momentum Music funding are:
- CARI (Alternative R&B) – Development and promotion of brand-new music through visuals, PR, radio support and UK dates in Manchester and London
- Charlotte OC (singer-songwriter) – Album recording, production, and mixing
- Esme Emerson (Alternative Indie Pop) – Touring support
- 4.t (Alternative indie) – Touring support including working with a sound engineer
- Kwaku Asante (Soulful R&B) – Marketing, live development, and visual storytelling through both long and short form content
- Rianne Downey (Country, Folk) – Album touring and promotion
- Rhumba Club (Synth alt-pop) – PR and radio plugging campaign around new album and singles
- TC & the Groove Family (Jazz fusion) – Writing and recording of new album
- Tony Bontana (Grime, Psychedelic Rock, Emo) – Promotion, PR and radio plugging
- Wynona Bleach (Crunchy Bubble-Grunge) – Release of sophomore album
These artists form a landmark 50th round of the PPL Momentum Music Fund since it was launched in 2013. Since then, the fund has supported 623 artists, including recent Mercury Prize winners Sam Fender (2025), Ezra Collective (2023) and Little Simz (2022), as well as multiple MOBO Award nominees and winners and NI Music Prize, Welsh Music Prize and SAY Award winners.
Wynona Bleach said:
“This fund has completely changed the trajectory of the band’s career. It’s given us an enormous leg up right when we are about to release our new album! We’re delighted to be in the 50th round and join so many incredible artists that have come through the fund.”
PPL Momentum Music Fund provides support for artists who have reached a crucial tipping point, have a team already in place and are ready to take the next step in their careers. Managed by PRS Foundation, the PPL Momentum Music Fund awards grants of £5,000-£15,000 using funds from PRS Foundation, PPL, Creative Wales and Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, PRS Foundation’s PPL Momentum Accelerator offers grants of up to £5,000 to talented artists in targeted regions of the UK with a growing fanbase, currently working to establish a music industry team. The latest Wales-based music creators receiving PPL Momentum Sbardun | Accelerator support, in partnership with Arts Council of Wales are:
- LUVLY (R&B, Soul) – Scaling up of ‘LoudAnd’ and ‘Clear’ projects
- Will Barnes Quartet (Jazz) – Touring and marketing
- Josh Hicks (Soul, Pop, R&B) – Writing, recording and showcasing forthcoming EP
- Half Happy (Alternative, Indie Rock) – Recording, mixing and mastering of the bands next body of work
Additionally, PPL Momentum Accelerator support of up to £2,000, which can include micro-grants, mentoring or other holistic support, is offered for Wales-based future music industry professionals to develop their skills and careers.
The Wales-based industry professional receiving support this round is Andrew Gordon, supporting the activities of SLUSH (a not-for-profit community interest company dedicated to promoting emerging music in Wales) by funding freelancers working across a series of grassroots gigs, enabling SLUSH to continue to promote the best in emerging talent in Wales. It will also support Andrew in developing his work in the festival sector.
Andrew said, “I am delighted to receive PPL Momentum Accelerator support. Having worked hard to develop the grassroots music scene in Wales – through SLUSH and through my work on CWRW Studios, the label BWGiBWGAN and BOIA festival – this support will help me to continue and take my work to the next level.
“I’m passionate about emerging talent and grassroots venues – two of the most rewarding but also financially risky parts of our scene’s infrastructure. The financial support of this scheme will enable me to continue my focus on new talent and embrace those challenges. It will also assist me in working with the brilliant freelancers who help me to make gigs happen, and develop the next generation of off-stage talent.”
The next deadline to submit an application for PPL Momentum Music Fund or PPL Momentum Accelerator Tees Valley or PPL Momentum Liverpool City Region support is 27 October 2025 at 6pm. Find out more and apply via prsfoundation.com.
