[1] During World War II the fund was supported by proceeds from daily concerts in the National Gallery, London, organized by Myra Hess.
[3] After distributing the first round of one-off grants to musicians facing immediate difficulties, a second fund of £2.5m was exhausted in just five days in June 2020 due to the volume of applications.
[6] In response to this mental health crisis, the charity announced an expansion of its Music Minds Matter service—whose flagship helpline had seen a 65% increase in calls—by setting up a national network of local support groups, and introducing targeted signposting to help musicians find the most relevant support and advice.
It gives financial grants to pay for medical treatment, specialist therapies and living costs and provides one-on-one help to those with life-changing situations.
The programme offers funding awards to postgraduate musicians undertaking advanced training, and also helps with short-term treatment costs for music students experiencing health problems.