PRS Foundation has partnered with BBC Introducing to support five UK-based artists who will perform at the British Music Embassy at this year's SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.
PRS Foundation is the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development.
The five artists selected are:
• Alt Blk Era – Wednesday, March 12 at 23:20
• Antony Szmierek – Friday, March 14 at midnight
• Man/Woman/Chainsaw – Wednesday, March 12 at 22:40
• Master Peace – Thursday, March 13 at 14:00
• OneDa – Thursday, March 13 at 22:40
In a statement, Alt Blk Era said: “The support from PRS Foundation and BBC Introducing has been central in making this journey possible. From funding our travel and logistics to giving us access to invaluable resources. With the recent drop of our debut album, their backing has empowered us to take our music across borders at this pivotal point in our career.”
Since 2015, BBC Introducing and PRS Foundation have been working together to support and create a platform for UK talent as a showcase at overseas music industry events, including Ezra Collective, Sam Fender, Nilufer Yanya and Yazmin Lacey.
So far more than 60 artists, who have uploaded their music to the BBC Introducing Uploader, have been selected via BBC Introducing and PRS Foundation’s tastemakers and advisors from across the UK, to perform at showcases around the world.
Westley Holdsworth, grants & programmes manager at PRS Foundation, said: “We’re delighted, with our friends at BBC Introducing, to be supporting these exciting, talented and export ready artists to attend and showcase at this year’s SXSW festival. We’re looking forward to seeing the impact this opportunity will have on their careers as they follow in the footsteps of previous recipients of this support such as Little Simz, Sam Fender and Ezra Collective.
“With increasing barriers to success and more competition from other countries in exporting music, supporting those first steps into new territories such as this impactful partnership with BBC Introducing – which we have been running together for 10 years this year – as well as our International Showcase Fund, are more important than ever.”
Kelly Betts, editor at BBC Introducing, said: “BBC Introducing are thrilled to collaborate with PRS Foundation to help support & elevate new artists across the year. Our partnership at SXSW is extremely exciting as we get to showcase UK artists to a larger US platform together. I can’t wait to see how this opportunity helps the artists.”
BBC Introducing and PRS Foundation showcases at SXSW this year are part of a wider UK presence at the festival.
The British Music Embassy (BME) will be a focal point across seven days of the festival. PRS Foundation is supporting an additional 29 UK-based artists to attend SXSW through its International Showcase Fund, many of which will be performing at the BME, across the festival and one artist taking part in SXSW’s songwriting camp.
UK Sounds, a new initiative for UK-based music creators looking for resources and support to reach audiences overseas, will act as a hub for music industry professionals and organisations outside of the UK looking to connect with British talent.
BBC Introducing will also host a showcase on the SXSW Radio Day Stage at Brush Square Park on Thursday, March 13 which will feature: Casey Lowery, Deja, Master Peace, Black Fondu and Man/WomanChainsaw.
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