PRS Foundation

What PRS Foundation does

PRS Foundation, legally The Performing Right Society Foundation, is a UK registered charity (number 1080837) founded in 2000 and headquartered at Tea Auction House, Hays Galleria, London. The organisation operates as the UK's leading charitable funder of new music and talent development, having awarded more than £50m to over 9,000 new music projects since inception and supporting more than 400 new music projects per year alongside a Talent Development Network of 69 UK organisations.

Its core product is a portfolio of grant programmes delivered through the Flexigrant online application portal, with grant tickets ranging from £750 relief payments to £20,000 commissions. Named programmes include the PPL Momentum Music Fund (£5k-£15k, partnered with PPL, Creative Wales, and Arts Council of Northern Ireland), New Music Biennial, Open Fund for Music Creators (up to £5,000), the Composers' Fund, Women Make Music, POWER UP, Take Five (jazz), The Oram Awards, and Composer Bursaries with the Bliss Trust. International offerings include the International Showcase Fund, Musicians in Residence (China, Brazil, UAE), Keychange, Beyond Borders, and BBC Music Introducing Showcases. The technology stack is intentionally lean: Flexigrant for applications, Mailchimp for newsletters, Google Analytics for web measurement, and JustGiving/CrowdFunder for donations.

The business model is that of a non-profit grant-making intermediary. PRS Foundation does not charge applicants; instead, it raises and re-distributes funds from a consortium of partners — primarily PRS for Music (which the organisation states it 'would not exist' without), Arts Council England, PPL, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Creative Scotland, Creative Europe, Creative Wales, the Arts Councils of Wales and Northern Ireland, Spotify (COVID-19 relief), the British Council, and Invest NI. Grant decisions are made by expert advisors and programme partners. Customer segments span individual music creators (songwriters, composers, producers, performers), music organisations (festivals, venues, promoters), and industry professionals (promoters, venue operators). The organisation operates with 1-10 employees and reports active operations through 2026.

Name

PRS Foundation

Legal name

The Performing Right Society Foundation

Website

https://prsfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PRS Foundation is a UK registered charity, founded in 2000, that distributes grants and runs talent development programmes for UK-based music creators, organisations, and industry professionals, having awarded over £50m to more than 9,000 new music projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts and Music Grant Funding

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Music grants funding
• Talent development programmes
• Music charity
• Arts grantmaking
• Composer support

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PRS Foundation is a UK registered charity that provides grants and talent development programmes for music creators and industry professionals. It distributes direct grant funding ranging from £750 to £20,000 to support new music creation, recording, touring, marketing, composition, and professional development, and runs a Talent Development Network supporting 69 UK organisations.

Product overview

PRS Foundation is the UK's leading charitable funder of new music and talent development, operating as a single-platform grant funding organisation with multiple named funding programmes. Since 2000, they have awarded over £50m to more than 9,000 new music projects. The organisation offers a portfolio of funding products including the PPL Momentum Music Fund (£5k-£15k grants), New Music Biennial (up to £20,000), Open Fund for Music Creators (up to £5,000), Composers' Fund, and various international programmes like the International Showcase Fund and Musicians in Residence China. Additional offerings include Talent Development Network support for 69 UK organisations, professional development programmes (New Music Plus, GIRLS I RATE, Take Five, The Oram Awards), and flagship partnership programmes like Keychange and Beyond Borders. The Sustaining Creativity Fund was launched as a COVID-19 relief initiative. These programmes are supported by partnerships with PRS for Music, Arts Council England, PPL, Spotify, and other funders and partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PPL Momentum Music Fund: A fund offering grants of £5k-£15k for UK-based artists/bands to break through to the next level of their careers, covering recording, touring and marketing activities.
• The Composers' Fund
• Women Make Music
• POWER UP

Products and services

• PPL Momentum Music Fund A grant programme offering £5,000-£15,000 for UK-based artists and bands to support recording, touring, and marketing activities, run in partnership with PPL, Creative Wales, and Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
• New Music Biennial A UK-wide commissioning programme offering grants of up to £20,000 for new music projects, raising the profile of UK music creators.
• Beyond Borders A UK and Ireland-wide commissioning and touring partnership programme supporting cross-border music collaborations between organisations.
• International Showcase Fund Funding programme enabling innovative music creators and ensembles to reach a worldwide audience through international showcase events and music export support at events such as SXSW and CMJ.
• Musicians in Residence China A residency programme supporting UK music creators to travel to China, Brazil, and UAE for 6 weeks to write new music and build international relationships, partnered with the British Council.
• Keychange An international partnership initiative empowering women and gender-diverse music creators and innovators across Europe, with PRS Foundation as a founding partner.
• Composers' Fund Direct funding programme for talented composers to support their creative development and career advancement.
• Talent Development Network A network supporting 69 organisations around the UK providing talent development support for emerging music creators across multiple genres.
• Open Fund for Music Creators General funding programme offering up to £5,000 for UK-based music creators at various career stages, supporting a wide range of music creation activities.
• Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition Competition providing emerging artists with talent development bursaries and the chance to play at Glastonbury Festival.
• Classical:Next Fellowships Partnership with the Classical:Next conference providing composers with the opportunity to attend, with travel, accommodation, and delegate pass covered, and matched with professional mentors.
• POWER UP Programme supporting music creators and industry professionals, addressing barriers and providing development opportunities.
• Take Five (Jazz) A unique opportunity for jazz music creators to take 'time out' to develop their craft and careers.
• The Oram Awards Awards for emerging artists in the fields of music, sound, and related technologies.
• New Music Plus Creative and professional development programme enabling non-music and cross-art form organisations to co-produce dynamic live music events with music events producers, including bespoke training, mentoring, and business development bursaries.
• MOBO UnSung Programme providing emerging talent with a platform and bursaries contributing to their personal and creative development, partnered with MOBO.
• Music Venue Trust: Fightback Grassroots Promoter Professional development programme supporting grassroots music promoters through the Music Venue Trust initiative.
• Composer Bursaries Bursary funding supporting emerging composers living and working in the UK, partnered with the Bliss Trust.
• National Film and Television School Scholarships Partnership supporting two scholarships per year for emerging composers at the National Film and Television School.
• Arts Foundation Award Award supporting creative individuals working in music creation and performance.
• BBC Music Introducing Showcases Partnership giving UK artists the platform and opportunity to showcase in overseas territories through BBC Music Introducing.
• Sustaining Creativity Fund COVID-19 relief initiative providing £750 grants to UK music creators experiencing hardship from loss of work due to the pandemic, launched in partnership with Spotify and matching donations pound for pound.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £50m awarded to over 9,000 new music projects since 2000
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers27 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, major and flagship.

• Musician's UnionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnion representing musicians; partner providing support and resources for music creator development
• British CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK's international cultural relations organisation; partnered on Musicians in Residence China programme enabling UK musicians to spend 6 weeks writing new music in China, Brazil, and UAE
• BBC Music IntroducingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBC programme showcasing emerging UK artists; partnered on international showcase opportunities and showcases for UK artists overseas
• Glastonbury FestivalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIconic UK festival; partnered on Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition offering talent development bursaries and festival performance opportunities
• MOBOsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic festival and awards organisation; partnered on MOBO UnSung competition providing emerging talent with platform and bursaries
• KeychangeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational initiative empowering women and gender diverse music creators and innovators across Europe; PRS Foundation is a founding partner
• Music Venue TrustsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK charity supporting grassroot music venues; partnered on Fightback:Grassroots Promoter programme
• National Film and Television SchoolsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm and television school; partnership supporting two scholarships per year for emerging composers
• GIRLS I RATEsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack-led women's music organisation; partnered on Sustaining Creativity Fund supporting Black music creators
• Jazz re:freshedsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerJazz development organisation; partnered on Sustaining Creativity Fund for Black music creators
• No SignalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack-led music platform; partnered on Sustaining Creativity Fund for Black music creators
• Saffron RecordssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack-led record label; partnered on Sustaining Creativity Fund for Black music creators
• Tomorrow's WarriorssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerJazz development organisation; partnered on Sustaining Creativity Fund for Black music creators
• New Music PlusflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative and professional development programme in partnership with The Hub; enabled non-music and cross-art form organisations to co-produce dynamic live music events
• Sound and MusicsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganisation supporting new music; partner on various composer and new music initiatives
• Oram Awards CICsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwards for emerging artists in music, sound and related technologies; partnered for emerging artist support
• Universal Production MusicsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction music company; partnered on Futures programme for emerging composers
• Classical NextmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClassical music conference; partnered on Classical:Next Fellowships giving composers opportunity to attend conference with travel, accommodation and delegate pass covered

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Creative Scotland: Scottish public arts funder supporting individual artists and organisations, including music creators via partnership with PRS Foundation on Momentum funding. Comparable grantmaking model but geographically constrained to Scotland.
• FACTOR (Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings): Canadian public/private music grantmaking organisation funding recording, touring, marketing, and video for Canadian artists. Strong functional parallel to PPL Momentum Music Fund and Open Fund for Music Creators, but limited to Canadian applicants.

Broad incumbents

• British Council: UK government international cultural relations organisation partnering with PRS Foundation on the Musicians in Residence China, Brazil and UAE programmes. Larger and broader portfolio but the natural co-funder for UK music internationalisation activities.
• Arts Council England: National public body distributing Lottery and grant-in-aid funding for arts and culture across England, and a major co-funder of PRS Foundation programmes. Operates at broader sector scale (all artforms, all regions) rather than music-specialised, but is the principal public counterpart for UK arts grantmaking.

Direct peers

• Youth Music: UK charity funding music-making projects for children and young people, with grants to organisations and individuals. Highly comparable grantmaking model, UK-focused music-creator pipeline, and partnerships with arts councils match PRS Foundation's structure.
• New Music USA: US non-profit grantmaking organisation funding new music creation and performance through project and capacity grants. Closest US-side comparable in mission (new music, composer support, grantmaking infrastructure) despite different national market.
• Help Musicians: UK-registered charity providing direct financial support, health & welfare grants, and professional development to UK music creators. Most direct functional comparable to PRS Foundation's mission of funding emerging and established music talent across the UK.
• Aaron Copland Fund for Music: US grantmaking foundation dedicated to supporting new works of American concert music through grants to performing ensembles and presenting organisations. Operates a similar composer-targeted grantmaking model at smaller scale, providing a non-UK direct comparable.
• Paul Hamlyn Foundation: One of the largest UK grantmaking foundations, a significant arts-and-composer funder and a direct co-funder of PRS Foundation's Composers' Fund and other programmes. Highly comparable grantmaking scale and mission around UK arts and social justice.
• Sound and Music: UK charity supporting the creation, enjoyment and development of new music, with composer development programmes and partnership with PRS Foundation. Closely overlapping mission in UK new-music funding, commissioning, and talent development.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PRSFoundation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/PRSMembers
• Facebookfacebook.com/PRSforMusicFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prs-for-music-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about PRS Foundation