With its third call for projects, Fund Belgian Music supports 90 new music albums by both new and established local talents. All together, they received support for a total amount of 141,100 euros.

Reminder: PlayRight is one of the founders of Fund Belgian Music. This fund was launched at the start of the corona crisis in June 2020, in collaboration with Facir, De Muziekgilde, Sabam for Culture, and with the support of the King Baudouin Foundation. The aim of the fund? Bringing together resources, passion and expertise to support Belgian musicians, young and old, in the creation and recording of new music.

Thanks to this third call, Belgian musicians could apply for financial support to record new music under professional conditions. 484 files were submitted, representing a total application amount of more than 2.2 million euros and a musical investment of more than 8 million euros. These figures show, once again, that the problems are far from over. Musicians are still struggling to pre-finance their projects due to the corona crisis and the restrictions imposed on the cultural sector.

During the month of May, a jury of music professionals dealt with all applications submitted within the framework of Fund Belgian Music’s third call for projects. In the end, the jury selected 90 projects, representing a total amount of support of more than 141,100 euros to emerging and established musicians from all music genres!

Nearly 200 new music projects received support in advance

Since its foundation in June 2020, Fund Belgian Music has already supported 191 music projects, good for a total amount of almost 400,000 euros. A high but necessary amount compared to the enormous need for support that has already emerged from previous project calls. Over three years, the fund has received over 1,200 applications, equalling an amount of 6.2 million euros in support.

It is clear that both new names and more experienced musicians need extra support. This on both sides of the language border and within different music genres, from pop music to ambient and alternative jazz. There is so much musical richness and diversity in our sector!

Music ecosystem threatened

Since concert fees are the main source of income for many musicians, and due to the decline in other rights such as copyrights, neighbouring rights and physical sales as a result of the corona crisis, many artists might face a serious decline in the investment in the creation and production of new music.

The consequences of the pandemic affect the entire artist community: from ‘big, established names’ and professional artists to the ‘new kids on the block’. All of them are inhibited in their artistic careers, both financially and mentally.

That is why PlayRight deemed it important to help set up this fund, to make an important financial contribution, and to participate in the operational functioning of the fund through the PlayRight+ department.

Selection call for projects 2022

Aboubakar Traoré & Balima / Aili / Aka Moon / aki / Alex Koo / Alioth / Annabel Lee / ARBEID ADELT! / Azertyklavierwerke / Azmari / Barbara Wiernik “ELLIPSE” / BEHIND THE PINES / Benni / Bombataz / Boogie Belgique / Brassery met Gene Bervoets / Brent Buckler / Brutus / BUURMAN / Céline Gillain / Chackie Jam / Chibi Ichigo / Clara! / Cloé du Trèfle et Lisette Lombé / Cloudy-Oh / Cocaine Piss / Dez Mona / DIRK. / Dishwasher_ / DYAD / Echo Collective / ECHT! / Edmund November / ELDERS / ELEFAN / Estelle Baldé / Fabrice Alleman “NOW!!!” / FùGù MANGO / Gaïsha / Ghostie / Glass Museum / Gorik & Lander / Haring / ISOLDE / Ivan Paduart & Jazz Station Big Band / Jane Døe / Jean-Paul Estiévenart, Marcel Ponseele et Il Gardellino feat Anthony Romaniuk : Triptyque / Judith Kiddo / Karoline Leki Kamosi / KermesZ à l’Est / Kid Noize / Lemon Felixe / Liesa Van der Aa / Loverman / MEYY / monokimono / Mountain Bike / Mü / Naima Joris / Namid & Sondervan / Nicholas Lens / Noémie Wolfs / Novgrod / Portland / Psychonaut / Razen / RHEA / Robbing Millions / run SOFA / Shaka Shams / SHARKO / SHHT / Sleepers’ Reign / STACE / STAKE / Stef Kamil Carlens / The Germans / The Great Belgian Songbook / The Guru Guru / The Haunted Youth / The Loved Drones / Tin Fingers / Tiny Legs Tim* / Too Many Fish / TUKAN / Under the Reefs Orchestra / VAAGUE / VEHIKA / Why The Eye ? / Willem Ardui

*At the end of May, Fund Belgian Music learned of the death of musician Tiny Legs Tim. The jury had selected his application for support for his new album. The Board of the Fund Belgian Music decided to donate the amount of the support to an initiative that keeps his musical legacy alive.