Two of the quickest, most practical funds around for working musicians are open again from today. Help Musicians’ Fast Track and its new sister scheme, Fast Track Live, are both taking applications until 20th November 2026, and artists across Northern Ireland are eligible.
Fast Track offers up to £500 to help you seize an opportunity before it passes you by. It’s built for working and early-career musicians who are actively building a sustainable career, and it can go towards costs such as recording and releasing music, equipment, courses and networking. To apply, you’ll need to be in control of at least one part of your career, whether that’s managing yourself, releasing your own music or producing your own work, and you’ll need to deliver the activity within six months.
Fast Track Live, launched in September with the LIVE Trust, focuses squarely on performance. Grants of £500 to £1,000 can cover the upfront costs that make live work so hard to sustain, from travel and accommodation to equipment, rehearsal time and promotion, for tours, festival slots, showcases, support slots and launch shows. Successful applicants also get a two-hour Career Clinic with a live music specialist.
You can only apply to one of the two, so pick the scheme that best fits your opportunity. If your plans are mainly about playing live, Fast Track Live is the one to go for.
Both funds are competitive and assessed on opportunity, need and impact, so be clear about what the money will unlock and how it’ll help your career grow. Read the guidance and apply here before the deadline on Friday, 20th November.