THE HINRICHSEN FOUNDATION SET TO PARTNER WITH SIX ORGANISATIONS TO CHAMPION THE POWER OF MUSICAL ENCOUNTERS AND CREATIVE COMPOSITION.

In a major show of support for contemporary and experimental music, The Hinrichsen Foundation has today unveiled a £165,000 investment in six pioneering organisations across the UK’s vibrant new music scene. The partnership awards, set to be distributed over the next three years (August 2025 – July 2028), marks the Foundation’s first long-term commitment since its previous ‘New Initiatives Scheme’ in 2012-13. 

The announcement coincides with preparations for the Foundation’s 50th anniversary of grant-making in 2026, and signals a renewed focus on building resilience, sharing resources, and establishing creative momentum in the sector.

The six organisations to be funded – Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (hcmf//), NMC Recordings, sound, The Night With…, PRXLUDES and the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) – reflect the geographical and artistic diversity of the UK’s new music ecology, with a particular spotlight on Scotland and the North of England. The partnership awards back a number of new organisations who are bringing new ideas and energy whilst offering a vote of confidence in some of the key organisations in the sector.

Ed McKeon, Chair of The Hinrichsen Foundation commented: 

“The response to the Foundation’s Multi-Year Partnerships grants shows that new and adventurous music is happening up and down the country, in rural communities and in major cities. Musicians, composers, producers and their supporters are constantly reaching diverse audiences. The appetite for innovative experiences is undimmed or growing even if support structures could and should be stronger. We’re delighted to be partnering with these organisations who champion the power of musical encounters and creative composition to open us to the world in unknown ways.”

Beyond funding, The Hinrichsen Foundation will maintain close dialogue with all six beneficiaries throughout the grant period – supporting the development of shared initiatives and sector-wide impact. 

Applications were prioritised from organisations whose values and objectives for contemporary and experimental music aligned with the Foundation’s own. Applicants were asked to outline ways to establish stable and valuable contributions to the UK’s new music ecology, and to create resources that would be of benefit to the wider community.

Zygmund de Somogyi, Artistic Director of PRXLUDES, outlined: 

“We’re absolutely thrilled for PRXLUDES to become part of The Hinrichsen Foundation’s multi-year partnerships family over the next three years. Hinrichsen’s funding will allow us to build on the five years we’ve spent platforming today’s most exciting emerging and early-career composers through a series of in-person concerts, conversations, and commissions, in collaboration with Stomping Ground Collective, Standard Issue, and our partner organisations throughout the UK.

There’s never been a more exciting time for upcoming composers — and I’m so excited that with the support of The Hinrichsen Foundation, we’ll be able to nurture, promote, and celebrate the next generation of new music practitioners.”

A series of pre-concert receptions will be held across 2026 to mark The Hinrichsen Foundation’s 50th anniversary celebrations, with further details to follow.