A UK charity has reopened a fund to help professional musicians who have been struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.

Help Musicians UK first launched the Coronavirus Financial Hardship Fund in 2020, specifically to alleviate some of the financial pressures that many professional musicians were experiencing as a result of the pandemic.

The charity recognises that the impact of the on musicians’ lives and careers has been unprecedented. Thanks to Arts Council England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), who have provided £650,000 of hardship funding, Help Musicians will now be making further payments to musicians facing financial hardship.

The total amount of funds available will be at least £1 million (Help Musicians will add £350,000 of its own funds into the scheme), which will be distributed to musicians whose needs are greatest.

This new round will see a one-off payment of at least £250 made to those eligible, with higher amounts available to those in the most challenging financial conditions if we have sufficient funds.

The Fund is open to professional working musicians (performer, composer/creator or directly involved in the production of music, or in work for which the main qualification is a high level of musical training). Applicants must be self-employed and in need of financial help.

The deadline for applications is 14 February 2022.

How To Apply

The next deadline for applications is 14 February 2022.

Because of the demand anticipated, HMUK cannot at this stage commit to making more than one payment to any individual from this temporary financial hardship fund as a result of the coronavirus.

More details can be accessed at the Help Musicians website.