PPL has announced that it will provide funding to East London Arts & Music (ELAM) for the next three years to help drive more diversity and equity in the creative and cultural industries. ELAM is a full-time industry academy providing 16 to 19-year-olds from under-represented communities with a specialist education in Music, Film and Television Production and Games Design.

Graduates from ELAM include FLO, the trio won the BBC’s Sound of 2023 and the Brits Rising Star Award in the same year; Naomi Kimpenu, winner of the Ivor Novello Rising Star Award in 2022; Sekou, recently longlisted for the BBC’s Sound of 2024; and Ines Dunn and Tendai, both shortlisted for the Ivor Novello Rising Star Award in 2023.

The funding from PPL will be directed towards key programmes designed to ensure young people from under-represented communities have equal access to ELAM’s specialist education, such as the Industry Engagement Programme, pastoral and mental health support, student recruitment and outreach, peripatetic music tuition and travel bursaries. With PPL’s support, ELAM will accelerate progress towards a more diverse and equitable creative industry.

Matt Sheldon, ELAM Principal, said: “It’s a privilege to partner with PPL to ensure our young people receive the specialist education and support they need in order to thrive and leave ELAM with the greatest chance of future success. We are delighted to have PPL’s support over the next three years which will help us to transform the lives and futures of some of London’s most promising but disadvantaged young people.”

Peter Leathem OBE, CEO of PPL, added: “At PPL we’re passionate about supporting the next generation of music performers and ensuring we have an industry that is truly representative. We hope this funding will give young people the space to hone and develop their talents and create essential industry connections so they can build successful and sustainable careers.”