Getting Babylon to fund our music

Subject: Getting Babylon to fund our music
From: Pied Piper
Date: 21 Jul 03 - 08:19 AM

The authorities are seeking to control are right to make music, might I suggest that we get together and get some of the Arts council and Lottery money to put on Trad Events.
We're probably the least subsidised music sector there is, and if we get the Councils to fund us they can worry about the licensing issues.
I know that this is not easy, but we have plenty of people with enough savvy to do it.
It will require us to "re-package" what we do in a way that presses the right buttons for the funders, but surely we can manage that.
Classical, Jazz, and Ethnic minority music, get plenty of subsidy it's about time we got a share.

All the best PP

Subject: RE: Getting Babylon to fund our music
From: hesperis
Date: 21 Jul 03 - 08:45 AM

Well, maybe package it as Ethnic? Everything's ethnic somewhere else...

Subject: RE: Getting Babylon to fund our music
From: Pied Piper
Date: 21 Jul 03 - 08:54 AM

I mean getting the "community" involved, setting up Youth bands, that sort of thing.
PP

Subject: RE: Getting Babylon to fund our music
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 Jul 03 - 08:56 AM

Derek Moore's "Moore or Less" club is supported by local authority grant....

Subject: RE: Getting Babylon to fund our music
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Jul 03 - 09:14 AM

You can't get more "ethnic" than traditional folk music.

Subject: RE: Getting Babylon to fund our music
From: Willie-O
Date: 21 Jul 03 - 09:45 AM

Pied Piper, in our area we have the Blue Skies Music Festival which is about to celebrate its 30th year. Since it is financially secure and community-minded, it established a community foundation several years ago to promote live music and help encourage young musicians in the local area. Some of the projects are:

-lending instruments and paying for music lessons for young musicians
-all-ages community fiddle orchestra
-day camp for kids focussing on creative arts (pilot project)
-subsidizing local concerts by travelling performers, either to support a related Good Cause (e.g. starting a community choir, or community radio station), or just to underwrite a live music event that a small rural venue can't otherwise afford.   

Once certain things start happening, the projects gain credibility and have received funding from some of the other sources you suggest (lottery money is redistributed here by something called the Trillium Foundation, and yup, we got some.)

Don't know how it works in the UK, but here, most publicly-funded arts councils and foundations (rightly) want to see evidence of local support and stability of organization before they start writing cheques. So start with a focussed smallish project, start an association if necessary--or find a sympathetic folk festival board or similar aggregation to be initial sponsors.

I think you're on to something mate. I would encourage starting from a basis of a project you want to do in the community, rather than writing a project proposal based on the criteria for a particular snooty funding body.

Have at it! Best of luck.
Willie-O

Subject: RE: Getting Babylon to fund our music
From: treewind
Date: 21 Jul 03 - 10:22 AM

There are some people getting lottery money for trad folk music events. It's not impossible if you angle it as something educational, getting young people involved in learning traditional arts. Workshops and competitions, that sort of thing.

One reaction I've heard that you face when doing something like that is insistence that it should be multicultural and caters for ethnic minorities. Of course English traditional music in England is the one ethnic minority everybody forgets or doesn't belive exists, so it tends not to get much help.

Anahata

Subject: RE: Getting Babylon to fund our music
From: sian, west wales
Date: 21 Jul 03 - 10:32 AM

I would argue that English trad music is 'native minority' rather than 'ethnic' but that's being picky I suppose. Still, it carves you out a separate niche ...

Many many people and groups are successful in playing the grant game in Britain. The Feis movement and the Plockton High School Centre of Excellence in Scotland are publically funded. Most of the traditional arts get 'some' level of funding in Wales - although admittedly not a patch on other art forms.

One problem is that people don't sit down and think laterally about funding opportunities. You DO have to have a well thought out programme, and one that hits the targets of the public bodies, but that isn't always difficult. Also, Arts Councils aren't the only sources of funds: National Lottery (Heritage, Community, etc apart from Arts), Local Authorities, Tourist Board(s), Training and Enterprise Councils, etc. I'm not saying that they're easy, but there are ways ...

Of course, a lot depends on where you live.

sian

Subject: RE: Getting Babylon to fund our music
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Jul 03 - 02:05 PM

"ethnic" has always been another name for "traditional" in relation to music and other aspects of a culture, such as clothes or food, since long before people got this strange notion that the word should only be used in the context of some ethnic groups and not others.

All the traditions deserve to be encouraged and supported. The ones which are more at risk deserve particular attention, and in England that includes traditions that are linked historically with minorities within the majority ethnic groups.

Multiculturaism is a great idea - but it needs to include all the cultures.

Subject: RE: Getting Babylon to fund our music
From: Gareth
Date: 21 Jul 03 - 02:25 PM

In South Wales, the "Communities First" project might be approachable - And this is Tombstone Funded, no budget cutbacks.

Here is an extract from a newsletter I have just produced for political purposes in Caerphilly CBC so please forgive the slant.

"Communities First. – Yes! - it's Welsh Assembly money for your community.

The Labour controlled Welsh Assembly has given priority to tackling deprivation in the 100 poorest wards in Wales. Caerphilly has 13 of these wards and 6 sub wards throughout the County Borough. £83million has been allocated to the Assembly's Communities First Initiative over 3 years to begin this process, however the Assembly have recognised that due to neglect and under investment by the Tories, the regeneration process has to be long term.

A key aim of Communities First is for local communities to set up partnerships in their area involving local people who will decide what their community's priorities are - a new approach from the bottom up.

As part of Communities First Initiative, £9million has been allocated to a Trust Fund (£60,000 for each ward, £30,000 for sub wards) This Fund is for local voluntary and community groups to use for community benefit. A toddler group, OAP group, Residents Group or similar can apply for up to £5,000 for community projects.

Local Labour Assembly members, Irene James, Jeff Cuthbert and Huw Lewis are encouraging local people to become involved in their local partnerships and have a say in the future of their community.

For more information on how to apply to the Communities First Trust Fund ring the help line on 0800 5878898..
Or contact your Labour Councilor or Assembly Member"

Click 'Ere for contact details of your AM, and NO ! I'am not going to get involved in political flaming on this.

Gareth