FUNDING & SPONSORSHIPS
This was also the first time we secured funding from a corporate sponsor like Carhartt, this was done so we could:
Ensure financial stability for the 2023 edition and future editions.
Pay fair artist fees across all bookings.
Help us feel more comfortable taking more risks with both musical and visual production.
The Carhartt sponsorship taken on was not a decision that we took lightly. We had many critical conversations internally as a team in trying to figure out if this was the right move for us. In partnering with Carhartt, we felt confident that this sponsorship wouldn’t compromise our vision or the integrity of the artists or community at large.
Last year we secured two grants from public funding sources; Youth Music and Arts Council.
Youth Music, Incubator Fund: The Incubator Fund allowed us to pay three persons 25 and younger living wage to work on En Masse from September - December 2023. Additionally, with the Incubator Fund we commissioned two artists under the age of 25 and provided elevated booking fees and mentoring opportunities.
Arts Council England, National Lottery - using National Lottery funding, we produced a series of workshops/talks which at their core, are about eliminating barriers to entry. All ACE funded events had free entry for persons of any age. We worked with Bristol-based partners to ensure our outreach met locals and not just those without our established En Masse network.