The BBC Performing Arts Fund has announced it will award up to £450,000 in grants for music in 2012 through its new Community Music and Music Fellowships schemes.

The BBC charity is devoted to supporting new UK performing arts talent, and is funded through revenue from voting lines for BBC One entertainment programmes, including their year’s The Voice. Since its inception nine years ago, the fund has awarded £3.8m to 1,200 individuals and 190 community groups.

From May the Community Music scheme will award amounts of up to £5000 for new music groups and up to £10,000 for groups wishing to commission new music.

Music Fellowships will be open for applications from August and are intended to support individuals throughout the early stages of a professional career.

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