24 managers awarded grants of up to £15,000 to help develop their business - as well as extensive training and mentoring

Successful applicants drawn from across England and Scotland, representing talent from a wide range genres including grime, metal, reggae, pop, drum & bass and jazz. 

Paul Bonham, Relationship Manager, Diversity & Music at Arts Council England, to project manage Accelerator on a 12 month secondment 

The Music Managers Forum (MMF) and YouTube Music are delighted to announce the first 24 individuals to benefit from the Accelerator Programme for Music Managers (APMM). 

Drawn from across England and Scotland, these include managers for Mammút, Poppy Ajudha, Voyager, TENDER, Puma Blue, Declan Walsh and the Decadent West, Moses Boyd, Brookes Brothers, Polar, LYRA, Shakka, SPINN, Murkage Dave, MATHS TIME JOY and IDER.

A full list of successful Accelerator applicants can be seen here. 

The programme, which is also supported by the Arts Council England (ACE) and the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), was launched in October 2018 and is the first ever independent funding and professional development initiative designed solely for artist, songwriter and producer managers. 

APMM is aimed at benefitting upcoming music management businesses through a combination of financial and educational support - offering 12-month grants of up to £15,000. With additional backing from ACE and SMIA, recipients will benefit from tailored training and expert mentoring delivered in partnership with CMU Insights and Music Ally.  

All will be overseen by experienced manager and music specialist Paul Bonham, who will take a 12 month secondment from his current position as Relationship Manager, Diversity & Music at Arts Council England to project manage the initiative.  

Consulting partners for APMM include Urban Development, Small Green Shoots, I Luv Live and Generator, while partners providing business support include Harbottle & Lewis, Sheridans, Simkins, Simons Muirhead & Burton, Music Insurance Brokers and SRLV.

Fiona McGugan, General Manager, Music Managers Forum, who represent more than 600 UK-based managers, said:
"With the help of YouTube Music, Arts Council England and the SMIA, I am absolutely delighted that Accelerator has taken off so quickly and will immediately benefit 24 accomplished individuals who represent such a wide and diverse range of talent. More so than ever, music managers play a linchpin role in the careers of artists, songwriters, producers and musicians, and our aim is for Accelerator to empower their businesses and make a significant and lasting impact."

Azi Eftekhari, Head of YouTube Music Partnerships, UK and Ireland, said: 
"Managers are the lifeblood of the music business, and our industry will continue to thrive if they have the support to continue focusing on their businesses. YouTube Music is so pleased to be supporting the Accelerator Programme for Music Managers in partnership with the Music Managers Forum. These 24 individuals represent some of the most exciting next wave of management industry, and we look forward to seeing how they use these funds to improve and evolve their business here in the UK."

Please see comments below from a selection of APMM managers about their aspirations for the next 12 months.  

Callum Reece, Wommat Management (Brawther, Subculture Sage, Joe Rolét), said:
"One glance at the MMF's Accelerator Programme and I instantly knew it was exactly what I'd been looking for as an up and coming manager. I can't wait to get to work this year and feeling super privileged to be one of the 24 managers starting what's hopefully the journey to forefront of music management."

Charlotte Caleb, CSQUAREDLDN (Raphi, Eloïse, TÄ€LÄ€), said: 
"I believe that this funding will allow me to set myself up for the year to give the freedom to not be tied to my desk, to be smarter with my time and build a sustainable business that has the legs to grow. I can invest in resources to make me more efficient, which will free up the time to develop skills and strengthen my weaknesses. I am also very excited to share the journey with other managers in a similar position to me." 

Christopher Hunte, Forbidden Artists (Culan, Kill Miami), said: 
"I joined the MMF Accelerator programme as it's the first scheme that actually puts managers first. It's an opportunity to plug some of the knowledge gaps I have and to connect with other fast rising managers." 

Jen Long, Take Care Management (MAMMÚT, Aaron Porter, Para Alta), said: 
"When I saw the Accelerator programme advertised it was like someone providing an answer to everything I felt I was struggling with. Working on your own can be quite lonely, so the idea of being part of a group of people going through the same thing was appealing. Especially the education and mentorship aspects. And obviously the money doesn't hurt. I'm just really excited about moving forward through the scheme, putting what I learn into practice, and growing my business over the next few years."

Louie John Lowis, Breathe Underwater Management (Be Charlotte, VanIves), said:
"The SMIA have been doing some fantastic work in recent years, championing the music sector and nurturing business development and learning opportunities in Scotland.  I am eternally grateful that they have invested in the MMF's Accelerator for Music Managers programme. I hope that my experience over the next year can serve as a case study for other emerging managers and how they can be better supported."  

Rachel Miller, Rachel Miller Management (Shabaka Hutchings), said: 
"Accelerator is the first scheme I have seen that is dedicated to supporting music managers as they develop their careers within the industry. The mentorship, training and opportunity to establish a network of peers is going to be invaluable to furthering my management skills and expanding the success of my artists and company."

Rian Zoll-Khan, RNR Management (Sami Switch, Effie)
"Accelerator is fantastic for a manager like myself who has been balancing a full time, intense job and supporting an emerging roster of artists. The investment boost lifts a big weight off my shoulders to allow more focus in the growth of my company and its future."