PRS and Help Musicians unite to extend songwriters and composers mentorship
PRS for Music today announces a new partnership with Help Musicians to provide its members with unique access to Co-Pilot: the Musicians’ Mentoring Network. Together, the new offering provides an invaluable opportunity to engage with seasoned industry mentors, gaining invaluable insights and guidance to advance their careers.
The program provides dedicated one-on-one mentorship sessions, providing participants with tailored support and expertise across various facets of the music industry. This strategic partnership underscores the enduring value of mentorship as a cornerstone in the professional development journey of music creators, providing them with essential guidance and resources to excel amidst the demands of the industry.
Launched in 2021, Co-Pilot has attracted a stellar lineup of mentors, including Global Brand Partnerships Manager at Universal Music Group, Emma Aucouturier, award-winning composer Justine Barker, singer, rapper, and producer Benny Bizzie, Chief Executive at English Folk Expo, Tom Besford and Simon Rix of indie rock band Kaiser Chiefs.
Navigating the creative, logistical, financial and emotional pressures that come with being a music creator can make sustaining a career in the industry incredibly challenging and mentoring has long been an important tool in supporting music creators.
Since 2018, the PRS Members’ Fund has partnered with Help Musicians’ sister charity, Music Minds Matter, to offer PRS members access to vital mental health support services including counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy.
Celebrating its 90th year, PRS Members’ Fund provides a range of support and advice to PRS songwriters, composers, musicians, and their families, who are struggling financially, physically or emotionally.
Part of the valuable work PRS Members’ Fund carries out include a fund for those facing financial hardship at this time of the year due to the increase in the cost of living through its Winter Crisis Scheme. It is also a gateway to assistance in the form of its close partnerships with Shelter, StepChange, British Association for Performing Arts Medicine and the Cyril Wood Memorial Trust, organisations which specialise in housing or homelessness support; finance management; illness, disability, accident or work-related health issues; and affordable rented housing, respectively.
Through these initiatives, PRS for Music reaffirms its dedication to supporting the holistic needs of its members, ensuring that they have the resources and support necessary to thrive in their creative endeavours.
About PRS for Music
PRS for Music is a world-leading music collective management organisation representing the rights of more than 165,000 talented songwriters, composers and music publishers around the globe. Headquartered in the UK, it works diligently on behalf of its members to grow and protect the value of their rights. With a focus on innovation and integrity, PRS for Music is redefining the global standard for music royalties to ensure creators are paid whenever their musical compositions and songs are streamed, downloaded, broadcast, performed and played in public. In 2022, PRS for Music collected £964m and paid out £836.2m in royalties.