Music Export Growth Scheme celebrates 5 years and awards a further £257,000 to support 19 British music acts in its latest round of overseas investment

The Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS) has awarded £257,000 to 19 acts from the British music scene in its latest (15^th) round of funding.

The BPI-managed scheme is administered through the Department for International Trade (DIT) as part of the Government’s Exporting is GREAT campaign and is designed to support small to medium sized music companies by contributing to their artist marketing campaigns and touring overseas.

Now celebrating its fifth anniversary, the Music Export Growth Scheme has distributed almost £3.5 million to a diverse pool of artists drawn mainly from the indie music community. The scheme has seen a return of over £11 for every £1 invested, generating some £35 million for the UK music economy. 

Liam Fox, Secretary of state, said: “Successful British music acts are the unsung heroes of our economy. The UK is a world leader in music exports, which soared by 7 per cent to £2.6 billion in 2017. As part of our exports strategy, we are proud to help UK artists to break into new global markets and thanks to the Music Export Growth Scheme, hundreds of British acts have received funding that will help this growth to continue.”

Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive BPI & BRIT Awards, said: “Britain has a proud record of global success as a music nation, but in the intensely competitive era of global digital platforms, we need to invest more than ever to break UK artists overseas. A relatively small contribution from the Music Export Growth Scheme to an act’s tour or digital marketing can make all the difference in supporting its international success. In the process we all stand to gain – an enlightened approach that is all the more necessary as the UK looks to develop its international trade strategy.”

During its five years, MEGS has supported a broad range of projects ranging from pop and rock to hip hop and jazz. This latest round is the first time that a classical music act has been funded through the scheme – something the BPI has been seeking to encourage – with the London Symphony Orchestra receiving backing to take their tour to South America.  Other artists benefitting from the latest round include Northern Ireland’s SOAK, folk performer Luke Sital-Singh, Bristol-based trio Elder Island, R&B singer-songwriter Rosie Lowe and electronic music duo HONNE.

MEGS recipient and electropop artist Shura said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be a recipient of a MEGS grant. Touring is such an important part of growing as an artist but sadly it isn’t always affordable! To have this kind of support as an independent artist is not only incredible, it’s essential.”

Bath-based recipients Bad Sounds said:  “We can't thank the BPI and DIT enough for this funding. It is not only relieving the financial pressure but allowing us to pursue opportunities we couldn't have without it."

Speaking on behalf of Elder Island and Whole Entertainment, Ross Patel said: “Funds such as this are in many cases the very fuel needed to keep that fire burning. The band are incredibly hard working and dedicated to making music their full time careers. With the costs of touring and having chosen to take the independent route, they would not be in a position to tour as extensively as they are without additional funding. I know I speak for all the members of the band when I say, thank you.”

Josie Faulkner of Big Scary Monster said: "We are immensely proud of Delta Sleep and how far they have come over the past few years. The MEGS grant they have received will allow the band to take the most important next steps in their career, especially in the US and elsewhere internationally. They are about to head out on their biggest US tour to date, in some of the largest venues they've ever played, and are so grateful to MEGS for making this project a reality."

Chris Tams, BPI Director of International overseeing the MEGS programme, said: “We are delighted to have entered the fifth year of The Music Export Growth Scheme and to continue working with the Department for International Trade to give a diverse range of British talent the opportunity to grow their fanbase in key international markets. In the process, it promotes the profile of British music overseas and, crucially, helps to boost our exports. To date, the Scheme has seen a return of £11 for every £1 awarded and £35 million generated for the UK music economy.”