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A grant scheme to help the best aspiring urban artists in the UK has been launched by the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Performing Arts Fund.

The Urban Music Talent scheme (formally the Urban Music Bursary) helps talented self-starters with great ideas and motivation, by providing some working capital, mentoring, advice, contacts and training in order to further their career in the industry.

The scheme launched on 11 May and closes on 19 June 2009.

The bursary was designed to target the urban music community of talent, not just in the form of musicians, but all those who support the urban genre in the form of MCs, DJs, rappers, beat boxers, producers, promoters, label bosses, agents, journalists, managers, writers or any combination.

In the past, applicants have been nominated to the scheme via industry professionals.

However, for the first time this year, the scheme is open to anyone and everyone and the fund's assessors are hopeful for a wide range of applicants.

A total of £150,000 will be distributed in grants through the scheme.

Each applicant can apply for up to £10,000 over a 12-month period.

Applicants should be aged 18-30; they should be mature, realistic, positive and grounded in hard work. They need to have been working in urban music, alone or with others, for at least a year.

Each application will be considered by the scheme's independent assessors.

Interviews will take place between 27 and 31 July.

Two days of workshops will be offered to finalists on 21 and 22 August.

Successful applicants will be announced in September 2009.

Notes to Editors

This scheme launched in 2005 and since then 55 successful applicants have received over £400,000 in bursaries.

Each application form will be read by the fund's independent assessors. If the applicant impresses the assessors they will be invited to meet a panel of judges for interview in London in July.

If the panel are satisfied that the applicant is talented, and has a financial need to further their business idea which will impact on the urban industry, they will be invited to a residential workshop in August.

The interview and workshop events will take place over several months and will determine this year's winners – the final decision will be announced in September 2009.

The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Performing Arts Fund received revenue from voting on shows like I'd Do Anything and How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?

Applications are made online at bbc.co.uk/performingartsfund.

The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Performing Arts Fund is a registered charity (no.1101276).

³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Press Office