Member Article

Domino Records secures £25k funding for Kendal band

More than £1 million in export funding has now been distributed to 60 acts in the UK including Wild Beasts from Cumbria.

Wild Beasts, an Indie Rock band from Kendal, is one of sixteen successful acts to benefit from Government funding to support the promotion of the nation’s music around the world and increase the industry’s contribution to the economy.

The £25k funding was awarded to their record label, Domino Records, to help the four piece band, previously students at the Queen Katherine School in Kendal, take their music overseas, and was announced by the BPI and UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) during Export Week.

The £2.5 million Music Export Growth Scheme was announced by the Prime Minister, David Cameron, in October 2013 and is a partnership between the BPI and UKTI.

This fourth round of the Music Export Growth Scheme brings the total amount of grants given to 60 independent labels, artists and management companies across the UK to more than £1 million this year.

Behind the scenes, a number of distribution, sync, live and publishing deals have been agreed on behalf of the artists – all of which are a direct result of the business facilitated by the Scheme’s funding.

The sixteen acts that will benefit from funding are from Scotland and England and span the genres of rock, soul, RnB, hip hop, reggae, electronic and folk music.

The financial assistance forms part of the Government’s efforts to get 100,000 small and medium-sized businesses exporting.

Independent music companies can apply for amounts between £5,000 and £50,000 to support touring, international marketing and other overseas activities.

UKTI Music Sector Specialist Phil Patterson, said, “The UK has a strong musical heritage that dates back through many decades.

“UKTI is proud to support this thriving sector which strengthens the reputation of our country as a world leader in creativity whilst helping to grow the UK economy.

“Now in its fourth round, the Music Export Growth Scheme has already helped independent label acts such as Imogen Heap, Public Service Broadcasting and Metronomy get much deserved global recognition and go on to support acts at sell-out international tours.

“Announced during Export Week this round’s successful sixteen demonstrate the depth of our home-grown talent with acts from reggae to pop and rock.

“We look forward to them taking their sound around the world and gaining more international fans.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sophia Taha .