£100k for young female promoters with MVT’s FB: GP

Music Venue Trust (MVT) and media platform MusicPlanet Live have announced Fightback: Grassroots Promoter (FB: GP), a £100,000 funding scheme aimed at young women interested in making a career in live music.

FB: GP will make £100,000 in subsidy guarantees available to underwrite 100 Fightback-branded fundraising shows at grassroots music venues (GMVs) organised by young female concert promoters. The scheme, open to women under 25, will enable participants to take their first steps promoting shows without the financial risk.

“Under 25s who want to promote a show are often put off by the risk or the lack of information about who to speak to, how to get the best deal or what connections they need,” says MVT. “At the same time, grassroots music venues are crying out for new young promoters with fresh ideas. Add into that mix a lack of diversity in the music industry and it adds up to a series of barriers to young women taking up promoting and adding their unique voice and ideas to the grassroots scene.

“We are going to start the process of identifying the next wave of fantastic new independent promoters”

“MVT and MPL want to change all that with a specific initiative aimed at enabling 100 young female promoters to put on a show at their local Music Venues Alliance member grassroots music venue. FB: GP offers a no-risk financial entry point for young women to take their first step in promoting or develop their promoting skills.”

MVT will supply a toolkit and contacts that young women need to put on their show, alongside access to music industry experts for mentorship.

Beverley Whitrick of MVT says: “We want to make a big change to the independent promoter scene in the UK, enabling 100 young women to take a chance on promoting a show they believe in. With their support, we are not only going to raise money for Music Venue Trust, we are going to start the process of identifying the next wave of fantastic new independent promoters and tackle head-on diversity in this sector.

“There aren’t enough female promoters working in grassroots music venues, and we’re going to change that.

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