Musicians, promoters and grassroots venues can now apply for grants from a new £20,000 Oxford City Council fund intended to reduce the cost of rehearsals, performances and live music projects.
At a glance
| Fund | Oxford Grassroots Music Fund |
| Total available | £20,000 during the 2026/27 financial year |
| Venue grants | Two grants of £5,000 |
| Musician and promoter grants | Around ten grants averaging £1,000, although individual awards may vary according to need |
| Who can apply? | Established venues, musicians, groups, music companies and promoters |
| Musical genres | Applications are accepted from any musical genre |
| Deadline | 9am on Monday 12 October 2026 |
| Expected decisions | Wednesday 4 November 2026 |
| Apply | Complete the application through Plinth |
Oxford City Council has opened applications for a new Grassroots Music Fund designed to support the people and places behind the city’s live music scene.
The £20,000 pot is divided equally between two strands. Half will support established venues, while the remaining £10,000 will be available to musicians and promoters.
The council hopes the funding will make rehearsal and performance space more affordable, help artists and promoters stage new work, and enable events that might otherwise be too expensive to proceed.
Applications opened on Monday 17 August and will remain open for eight weeks. The deadline is 9am on Monday 12 October, meaning applicants should not assume they have until the end of that day to submit.
How the £20,000 fund is divided
| Funding strand | Amount available | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Grassroots music venues | Two grants of £5,000 | To help venues provide free or significantly subsidised rehearsal and performance space, together with other practical support for musicians and promoters. |
| Musicians and promoters | Around ten grants averaging £1,000 | To reduce the costs of creating, promoting and presenting musical activity in Oxford. |
The council says the number and value of musician and promoter awards may vary according to the applications received and the level of need demonstrated.
This means £1,000 should be treated as an expected average rather than a guaranteed or fixed grant amount.
Who can apply for a venue grant?
The venue strand is intended for established music spaces with the capacity to support local artists and promoters.
Applicants will need to show that they can provide free or significantly subsidised space for rehearsals and performances.
The council will consider the location and accessibility of the venue, the number of subsidised opportunities being offered, the size and type of its performance or rehearsal spaces, and the audiences it can reach.
Venues can also explain what additional support they would provide, such as marketing, equipment, technical assistance or stage props.
The fund is therefore not presented simply as an unrestricted contribution towards a venue’s normal operating costs. Applicants will need to show how the grant would directly lower barriers for musicians and promoters.
Who can apply for the musician and promoter grants?
Applications can come from an individual musician, a group, a music company or a promoter.
The scheme is open to any musical genre and is intended to support people at different stages of their careers, including those creating new work.
The council will assess the quality of the proposed activity, its potential effect on the applicant’s professional development, and how clearly the intended audience and marketing approach have been considered.
The published guidance does not state that an individual musician or promoter must live within Oxford city boundaries. However, the stated purpose of the fund is to enable more musical activity in the city.
Applicants based elsewhere in Oxfordshire who are planning an Oxford project should contact the council’s grants team if they are uncertain about eligibility.
What could the grants support?
The guidance is intentionally broad and does not publish a complete list of permitted expenditure.
For venues, the emphasis is on making space and support available to artists and promoters at little or no cost.
Examples in the scoring criteria include rehearsal rooms, stages, performance space, equipment, marketing and practical production support.
For musicians and promoters, the funding is intended to reduce the costs involved in putting musical activity together and presenting it to an audience.
Depending on the proposal and final grant conditions, that could potentially involve costs connected with rehearsal, venue hire, performance, promotion, production or creating new work.
Applicants should not assume that every type of expenditure is eligible. Anyone considering using the grant for general living costs, retrospective expenses, equipment purchases or activity outside Oxford should check with the grants team before applying.
How applications will be scored
| Applicant | Published assessment criteria |
|---|---|
| Musicians and promoters | Quality of the proposal; impact on professional development; understanding of the intended audience; clarity of the marketing approach; diversity of genres and people; support for different career stages; and the creation of new work. |
| Venues | Location and accessibility within the city; number of free or subsidised rehearsal and performance opportunities; the amount musicians would save; room or stage size; audience reach; and additional support such as marketing, equipment or props. |
The reference to diversity covers both the range of music supported and the people involved in making it.
This means applicants should explain not only what they want to do, but who will benefit, how the activity will reach an audience and what difference the grant would make.
What to include in a strong application
Based on the council’s published scoring criteria, musicians and promoters should provide a clear description of the project, the work they intend to create or present, the expected audience and how the activity will support their development.
Venues should quantify the support they are offering. This could include the number of free rehearsal hours, the usual hire rate, the subsidised rate, the expected saving for artists and any equipment or marketing included.
All applicants should use a clear budget showing what the grant would pay for and why the activity would be difficult to deliver without support.
Proposals should also explain when and where the activity will happen, who is responsible for delivering it and how audiences will hear about it.
How to apply
Applications must be completed through the online Plinth platform.
Applicants will need to create or log into a Plinth account before beginning the form.
The system allows people to complete sections in any order, save their progress and return to the application later. The council advises applicants to use the “save form” button before moving between sections.
All required questions must be completed before the application can be submitted successfully.
Once submitted, an on-screen message should confirm that the form has been received. The completed application will also remain available through the applicant’s Plinth account.
The deadline is 9am on Monday 12 October 2026.
Applications can be made through the Grassroots Music Fund application form.
Key dates
| Date | What happens? |
|---|---|
| Monday 17 August 2026, 3pm | Applications opened |
| Monday 12 October 2026, 9am | Application deadline |
| Wednesday 4 November 2026 | Council expects to inform applicants of the results |
Applicants should allow time to complete the form and should avoid leaving submission until the final morning in case they encounter an account, upload or internet problem.
Why the council created the fund
The funding was secured through Oxford City Council’s 2026/27 budget process.
Budget papers acknowledged that live music projects were particularly exposed to current financial pressures and said a flexible pot could allow events that might otherwise be unviable to proceed.
Councillor James Taylor, Oxford City Council’s Events, Live Music and Nighttime Economy Champion, said the city’s live music industry was experiencing significant financial strain.
He said: “By backing grassroots music we’re ensuring events actually happen, while supporting the livelihoods of those working in this struggling industry.”
The fund is relatively small compared with the wider financial challenges facing venues, performers and independent promoters. With only two venue awards and around ten musician or promoter grants expected, it will not meet every request.
However, a £1,000 grant could make a meaningful difference to a small event, recording project, performance or promotional campaign, while £5,000 could allow a venue to make rehearsal or stage time available to several artists.
Oxford’s grassroots music legacy
The launch comes as the Museum of Oxford celebrates the city’s musical history through its Sounds of the City exhibition.
The exhibition explores the bands, venues, festivals, record labels and local communities that helped shape Oxford’s sound, from Radiohead, Ride and Supergrass to Foals, Stornoway and Glass Animals.
It also highlights the role of smaller venues in helping musicians develop their craft, perform to early audiences and form the networks needed to build a career.
Sounds of the City is due to remain at the Museum of Oxford until 13 March 2027, with accompanying performances, talks, workshops and other events.
More information is available through Oxford City Council’s Sounds of the City announcement.
Where to get help with an application
The council’s Grants Team can answer questions about eligibility, permitted expenditure and the application process.
Applicants can email grants@oxford.gov.uk.
Plinth also provides an online chat function from Monday to Friday between 10am and 6pm for technical questions about using the application system.
Full eligibility and assessment information is available through the Oxford City Council Grassroots Music Fund page.
FAQs
How much money is available?
The total fund is £20,000. Half is allocated to venues and half to musicians and promoters.
How much can a venue receive?
The council intends to award two venue grants of £5,000 each.
How much can a musician or promoter receive?
The council expects to award around ten grants averaging £1,000. Actual award amounts and the final number of grants may vary according to need.
Can an individual musician apply?
Yes. Musicians and promoters can apply as an individual, group or company.
Are all music genres eligible?
Yes. The council says applications can come from any musical genre.
Do musicians have to live in Oxford?
The public guidance does not specify an Oxford residency requirement for musicians and promoters. However, the fund aims to increase musical activity in the city. Applicants based outside Oxford should check their eligibility with the Grants Team.
What must a venue provide?
A venue must be established and capable of offering free or significantly subsidised rehearsal and performance space to musicians and promoters.
Can the grant pay for equipment?
Equipment is mentioned as a form of additional venue support in the scoring criteria, but the council has not published an exhaustive list of eligible expenditure. Applicants should check before including a significant equipment purchase.
When is the application deadline?
Applications must be submitted by 9am on Monday 12 October 2026.
When will applicants hear the result?
Oxford City Council expects to inform applicants on Wednesday 4 November 2026.
How do people apply?
Applications must be made through the online Plinth application form.
Who can answer questions about the fund?
Questions can be sent to Oxford City Council’s Grants Team at grants@oxford.gov.uk.
