LONDON (CelebrityAccess) – The Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) has announced the ten recipients of the 2024 Step Up Fund in collaboration with Amazon Music. Launched in 2022 to tackle the financial struggles faced by emerging independent artists in the UK, the Step Up Fund has already helped to support 31 artists through grants and mentorships. This year’s awardees will receive a grant of up to $10,141, along with mentoring, a one-year PRO membership to the FAC, a one-year subscription to Amazon Music, and opportunities for content creation.
The 2024 awardees, selected by a panel of industry professionals, span a diverse range of genres, including pop, metal, hip-hop, and R&B. The recipients are Azekel, BEKA, Blair Davie, Dirty Nice, Hana Lili, Lime Garden, Olive Jones, ShaSimone, SOFY, and unpeople. These artists, drawn from across the UK, will use the funding to cover essential costs like recording and mastering, video production, PR and marketing campaigns, and showcasing and touring.
Lime Garden, an indie-rock band from Brighton, shared their thoughts on the support provided by the fund. “Awards like Step Up provide essential support for new artists to develop sustainable careers in the music industry. For us, the costs associated with playing summer festival shows around Europe and our first US headline tour this Autumn are huge financial commitments. Having the funding support from Amazon Music and the industry support from the Featured Artists Coalition makes touring possible,” they told NME.
Eligibility for the Step Up Fund is open to artists aged 18 and above who have released at least three songs within the last year, with each song garnering a minimum of 15,000 streams or one song with 45,000 streams on a chart-eligible UK streaming service. Artists must not have an ongoing agreement with a major or large independent record label.
David Martin, CEO of the FAC, highlighted the importance of targeted funding for independent artists. “The UK clearly has no shortage of talent, and there is evidently a real need for more of this kind of targeted funding that can help independent artists realize their potential and build sustainable careers. Thanks to the generosity of Amazon Music, the FAC Step Up Fund is playing a real part in helping address that challenge. I’I’mncredibly proud of what wewe’vechieved together in such a short amount of time, and look forward to seeing how 202024’swardees progress over the next 12 months.”
Laura Lukanz, Head of Music UK, Australia and New Zealand at Amazon Music, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership, “Teaming up with the FAC to support the Step Up Fund for a third year continues to be a highlight of the year for the team and me. The outstanding caliber of applications we receive every year serves as a powerful reminder of the immense pool of talented artists we have in the UK. Making our selections is always a challenging process. I can’t wait to see what’s next for the 10 artists receiving a grant this year.”
The fund aims to provide these emerging artists with the resources and support necessary to navigate the music industry and achieve long-term success.
