What The BRIT Trust does

The BRIT Trust is a UK registered charity (charity number 1000413, legal name British Record Industry Trust) founded in 1989 by the BPI (British Recorded Music Industry) and UK record labels to channel proceeds from the music industry into charitable causes. Operating as a grant-making foundation, it raises funds primarily through The BRIT Awards and the Music Industry Trusts Award (MITS), distributing over £30 million across approximately 300 grants to UK charities since inception. The Trust's core offering is its grant programme, supplemented by the BRITs Apprentice Scheme (paid 15-month placements in independent music companies) and the annual White Label Auction of test pressings.

The Trust's two principal beneficiaries are The BRIT School, a state-funded performing arts and technology school in Croydon for students aged 14–19 (which has received £14.8 million and produced over 10,000 alumni), and Nordoff and Robbins, the UK's largest music therapy charity (£8.4 million received, supporting over 300,000 therapy sessions for 100,000+ vulnerable people). A broader portfolio of supported charities includes ELAM, Music Support, Key4Life, EQTY in Music (formerly Abram Wilson), and BAPAM, spanning music education, mental health, criminal justice, and creative health.

The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees drawn from major record labels, the BPI, live music, music publishing, and major tech platforms (including Spotify, Google, YouTube, Sony Music UK, and Universal Music UK). Operational headcount sits at 11–50 employees, with administrative support provided by BPI. The Trust uses a digital presence (brittrust.co.uk, BRIT Trust Diaries editorial series with Music Week) for awareness and a formal grant application process reviewed by the Grant Committee and approved by the Board. There is no commercial product distribution; the operating model is philanthropic intermediation between the music industry and the UK charitable sector.

Name

The BRIT Trust

Legal name

British Record Industry Trust

Website

https://brittrust.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The BRIT Trust is a UK registered charity founded in 1989 that distributes grants from music industry fundraising — primarily The BRIT Awards and MITS — to UK charities supporting music education, music therapy, and wellbeing for young people.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Education and Creative Arts Charity

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)

Keywords

• Music education charity
• Grant-making foundation
• Music therapy funding
• Creative arts grants
• UK music charity

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The BRIT Trust is a UK grant-making charity that awards funding to registered charities working in music education, music therapy, creative arts wellbeing and related youth-focused causes. Its core offering is an annual grant programme reviewed by a Grants Committee and approved by the Board of Trustees, complemented by the BRITs Apprentice Scheme (paid industry placements) and the annual White Label Auction fundraiser. Funding is sourced primarily from The BRIT Awards and the Music Industry Trusts Award (MITS).

Product overview

The BRIT Trust is a charitable organization that operates as a unified grant-making foundation rather than a platform with separate modules. Its core offering consists of grant funding programmes distributed to music and creative arts charities across the UK, complemented by the BRITs Apprentice Scheme and the White Label Auction initiative. The Trust's primary funded beneficiaries include The BRIT School, Nordoff and Robbins, ELAM, Music Support, Key4Life, EQTY in Music, and BAPAM. Funding is generated primarily through The BRIT Awards and the Music Industry Trusts Award (MITS).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BRIT Trust Grant Programme Charitable grant funding programme that awards grants to registered UK charities focused on music and creative arts education and wellbeing. Applications are reviewed by the Grant Committee and approved by the Board of Trustees annually.
• BRITs Apprentice Scheme Paid apprenticeship programme run by BPI for The BRIT Trust, offering up to 10 individuals from diverse backgrounds 15-month placements with independent music companies. Operated in partnership with DiVA.
• White Label Auction Annual charity auction of white label vinyl test pressings donated by artists and record labels, raising funds for The BRIT Trust and supported music charities. World's only known auction of white label test pressings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £30 million distributed in grants since 1989
• +3 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• BPI (British Recorded Music Industry)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1989BPI established The BRIT Trust in 1989 with UK record labels. BPI provides essential management and administration services enabling the Trust to make donations and deliver against its Objects. BPI runs the BRITs Apprentice Scheme which is funded by the Trust.
• The BRIT SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal beneficiary of The BRIT Trust. Croydon-based performing arts and technology school that has received £14.8 million in funding. Has produced over 10,000 alumni in music and creative industries.
• Nordoff and RobbinscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal beneficiary. UK's largest music therapy charity supported with £8.4 million in funding. Over £10 million donated since partnership began, enabling over 300,000 music therapy sessions for 100,000+ vulnerable children and adults.
• YouTube MusicmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Digital Music Partner of The BRIT Awards. Extended partnership with BRIT School through YouTube Residency programme providing masterclasses and the YouTube Music Studio facility opened in 2019.
• Omega AuctionsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHosts the annual White Label Auction for The BRIT Trust, raising funds through sale of white label test pressings. Has raised nearly £250,000 since 2019.
• Universal Music UKmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerLead contributor to White Label Auction. Major supporter of BRIT Trust fundraising initiatives including BRIT Awards contributions.
• DiVAmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRecruitment and training specialists that run the BRITs Apprentice Scheme for the BPI on behalf of The BRIT Trust.
• Music WeekmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner for BRIT Trust Diaries content series, helping explain and promote the work of The BRIT Trust and supported charities.
• EMI Music Sound FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity devoted to improving young people's access to music education. Tony Wadsworth serves as trustee.
• Youth MusicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational music charity. YolanDa Brown serves as Chair of Youth Music.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MusiCares: Recording Academy-affiliated US charitable organisation providing health, human services, and emergency financial assistance to music people. Most direct international analogue to The BRIT Trust's industry-funded grantmaking model.
• Backstage Trust: UK charity raising funds for the music industry workforce via high-profile industry events; supports health and welfare causes. Comparable UK music industry fundraising and grantmaking vehicle.
• Youth Music: National UK charity investing in music-making projects for children and young people experiencing disadvantage. Highly comparable mission and beneficiary profile (already a minor partner of the Trust).
• Help Musicians: Long-standing UK charity (founded 1921) supporting musicians' welfare, health, and career development through grants and services. Comparable British music-focused charitable foundation with similar beneficiary base.
• PRS Foundation: UK's leading charitable funder of new music and talent development, distributing grants from PRS for Music and partners. Directly analogous music-industry grantmaking foundation.
• EMI Music Sound Foundation: UK charity (established 1997) devoted to improving young people's access to music education through grants. The Trust's own Chair Tony Wadsworth serves as trustee; near-overlapping mission.

Regional players

• MusiCounts: Canadian music education charity founded by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Comparable mission of using music industry funds to advance music education nationally; operates in a different geography.

Others

• The Prince's Trust: Major UK youth charity supporting 11-30 year olds into education, training, and employment, including via creative and arts programmes. Overlapping beneficiary cohort of disadvantaged young people in the UK.

Broad incumbents

• Arts Council England: UK public-sector arts and culture funding body distributing National Lottery and grant-in-aid funding. Represents the larger, government-backed incumbent in the UK arts grantmaking space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The BRIT Trust