PRS Foundation, the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development, announces today that 4 UK artists are receiving support through the International Showcase Fund to perform at ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag), Groningen, the Netherlands from 17th January 2024.
The artists receiving support are:
- CHALK, (Northern Ireland) – performing at VERA on Wednesday 17th January at 22:50
- Fat Dog, (England) – performing at VERA on Thursday 18th January at 22:50 and PLATOSONIC (Plato & CC) at 17:00
- HONESTY, (England) – performing at VERA on Wednesday 17th January at 21:30
- No Guidnce, (England) – performing at Stadsschouwburg on Friday 19th January at 20:50
CHALK were recent winners of Best Live Act of the Year at the NI Music Prize in 2023 and Fat Dog’s recent November show in Manchester received a 4/5-star review in the NME where they were hailed as 2023’s wildest live band. HONESTY have been picking up coverage in the UK music press such as Dork and Line of Best Fit and No Guidnce have been releasing music written by songwriters including Victoria Monet and produced by the likes of Lunchmoney Lewis (Nicki Minaj), JR Rotem (Rihanna) and Ben Billions (The Weeknd).
Thank you PRS Foundation for offering us the International Showcase Fund. This grant will support us in performing at Eurosonic 2024 and help expand our recognition and relationships overseas.
International Showcase Fund supported No Guidance
Congratulations to the 4 talented export ready music creators receiving our International Showcase Fund support to showcase at this year’s ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag). Being able to access and break into new territories, at the right time, is so important for music creators to further develop their careers and talent. ESNS is a key showcasing event in the industry calendar and we look forward to seeing the outcomes and impact from performing there will have on each of the supported artists.
Westley Holdsworth, Grants & Programmes Manager at PRS Foundation
As well as this artists supported this year, PRS Foundation has 4 previous grantees performing at this year’s festival also:
- English Teacher (PPL Momentum Accelerator Yorkshire 2020 & Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition 2022) – performing Friday, 19th Jan, 15:20 at Platosonic
- Conchúr White (PPL Momentum Music Fund 2023, International Showcase Fund for SXSW 2024) – performing on Friday, 19th Jan 12:30 at Platosonic
- Melin Melyn (PPL Momentum Music Fund Wales) – performing on Wednesday, 17th Jan, 22:45 at WeNutButter and Thursday 18th Jan, 13:40 at Platosonic
- The Royston Club (International Showcase Fund for Zandari Festa 2023) – performing on Friday, 19th Jan, 22:50 at WeNutButter
You can find out from the ESNS website which artists from Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England will be playing across the festival. As PRS Foundation is a partner of the ESNS European Talent Exchange Programme, all the UK artists performing at the showcase will be eligible for that initiative’s support which facilitates the bookings of acts on festivals outside their home countries and generates extensive media exposure for these artists in cooperation with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), export offices and local media.
The International Showcase Fund is run by PRS Foundation in partnership with Department for Business and Trade, Arts Council England, British Underground, Musicians’ Union, Creative Scotland, PPL, Wales Arts International and Arts Council of Northern Ireland. It offers vital and timely support for artists to take their first steps into international territories by enabling them to perform at key showcasing festivals and conferences such as SXSW, Reeperbahn Festival, New Skool Rules, Zandari Festival, NYC Winter Jazz Fest, Womex, Eurosonic, Jazzahead and Mutek which attract thousands of people working in the music industry from every corner of the globe.
PRS Foundation’s Senior Grants & Programmes Manager, Becci Scotcher and Grants & Programmes Manager, Westley Holdsworth will be attending the festival.
Find out more and to apply for International Showcase Fund
In the fund’s report spanning 2016-2019, 91% of supported artists returned from overseas showcasing with tangible business outcomes and for every £1 invested by the International Showcase Fund, artists generated an additional £6.20 in revenues generating £5.3 million for the music industry and UK economy. Supported artists include, Dave, Kae Tempest, Little Simz, Glass Animals, Nova Twins, Mace the Great, Yard Act, Dry Cleaning, Pigs x7, Black Country New Road, Black Midi, Gaika, Knucks. Paigey Cakey, Ms Banks, Flohio, New Pagans, Balimaya Project, VLURE Everything Everything, SBTRKT, AJ Tracey, and Wolf Alice.
