Sometimes, live opportunities come along that can have a lasting impact on your career as a musician.
Whether you’re touring, playing a festival, performing at a showcase, taking on a support slot or reaching new audiences through live performance, Fast Track Live can help you take the next step. Through grants from £500 up to £1,000 and a dedicated career clinic session with a live music specialist, you’ll receive financial support and expert guidance to help you make the most of the moment.
Fast Track Live is a Help Musicians programme delivered with support from LIVE Trust. It has been designed to help you develop your live career, build momentum and create opportunities for long-term growth.
We expect Fast Track Live to be highly competitive, so please read the full eligibility criteria before applying to make sure this support is right for you.
What and who is this support for?
This financial support can help cover costs associated with significant grassroots live opportunities, including touring, festivals, showcases, venue performances and other activities that can help move your career forward. Funding can contribute towards costs such as travel, rehearsal and accommodation, as well as equipment, production and marketing related to a live performance coming up in the next 6 months.
Successful applicants will also receive a two-hour career clinic session with a live music specialist, helping them plan effectively, make informed decisions and maximise the long-term value of their opportunity.
Our panel considers each application and reviews it for opportunity, need and impact. We are particularly looking for applications that demonstrate how the support will help you develop your live career, grow your audience, create future opportunities and build sustainable income in the long term.
A full list of eligible activity, what funding can and can’t be used for, and guidance on what we’re looking for in an application can be found in the application guidance.
Who can apply?
The programme is aimed at working and early-career musicians who are actively building sustainable careers in music and who need timely investment to take advantage of a specific live opportunity.
Full eligibility criteria can be found here. We strongly recommend you read these before making an application.
Beyond this, you must be able to deliver the activities we’re supporting within the required funding period. You must also have control over one or more aspects of your career, for example being self-managing, self-releasing or self-producing.
To help you apply, check our eligibility guidance, FAQs and application tips linked below. Reading these before you apply will give you the best chance of success.