GrantRadar

Department for Business and Trade and Department for Culture, Media and Sport (delivered by the BPI)

Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS)

Match-funding grants for UK-based independent music SMEs, normally management companies or record labels, to run marketing and promotion campaigns, usually linked to international tours, that help an artist who has achieved reasonable commercial success in the UK break into an overseas market. The grant covers no more than 50% of eligible expenditure and no UK activity can be funded. Funded by DBT and DCMS and run in rounds by the BPI; grants range from £5,000 to £50,000.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£5,000 – £50,000
Deadline
165 days left
1 April
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Representatives of UK-based music acts, normally music management companies or record labels, that are UK-based music businesses or organisations trading from the UK (businesses in the Isle of Man or Channel Islands are excluded unless UK registered)
  • Applicants must be SMEs: fewer than 250 employees and turnover under €50m or balance sheet total under €43m; the BPI describes them as independent UK companies
  • The project must not have received any other public funding, and the applicant must show it is selling from the UK and that the activity enhances the artist's competitiveness and brings tangible economic benefit to the UK
  • The scheme targets artists who have achieved reasonable commercial success in the UK and are now looking to break internationally

What it funds

A full marketing plan for the targeted overseas territory, which might include:

  • Launch/introduction marketing campaigns (including PR costs, physical/digital advertising, plugging into radio and TV, social media campaigns)
  • Showcases and other opportunities to secure international distribution deals or licensing
  • Personal appearances (TV/radio media opportunities in the country)
  • Tour support to enable the artist to travel to and showcase/perform in the targeted market
  • Other plans for targeting record labels/licence partners, distributors, publishers, media and concert promoters in target markets

Expenditure counted is external costs to the label or management, not normal running costs; the grant is no more than 50% of eligible expenditure and funding is tied to the ambition of the project.

What it will not fund

  • Any UK activity
  • Normal running costs of the label or management company
  • Projects that have received any other contribution from public funds

How to apply

  1. Wait for a funding round to open; rounds are announced by the BPI
  2. Register and apply through the Department for Business and Trade grants portal linked from the BPI's MEGS page and round announcement

Rounds are expected to continue up to 31 March 2027.

Have ready

  • Evidence of meeting the SME criteria
  • Evidence of domestic sales and success levels (including touring and media support)
  • Experience of the domestic repertoire owner or management team
  • Proven interest from the target market
  • A full marketing plan for the targeted territory showing how the grant would be used
  • An indicative budget for the project
  • A list of the UK companies (with contact details) working with each artist/project: label, management, publishing company, artist, digital distribution, merchandising company and UK agent where applicable

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