AWAL Creator Fund picks its first cohort of UK music content creators

AWAL Creator Fund picks its first cohort of UK music content creators

May 12, 2026 By Mandy Dalugdug

AWAL has named three content creators as the first recipients of its Creator Fund, a joint initiative with Gen Z creative writers’ room lemon tank.

The fund was first announced last month, with AWAL saying it is aimed at discovering and developing British content creators working on music-focused formats.

The  AWAL Creator Fund  is a five-month program that will select up to three creators for mentoring, training and financial support. Selected creators will receive a  £2,000  grant alongside one-on-one mentoring, learning and development sessions, and the opportunity to work with AWAL artists and campaigns.

Iona Bielby , Glenn McFarlane , and Aker Okoye were selected from more than 130 applicants to the program. The trio will make their first joint public appearance at The Great Escape Conference in Brighton on Friday (May 15).

Bielby, 29, hosts Stargazer , a London-based interview show in which artists are filmed in conversation inside a homemade fort while stargazing. The show launched in 2025 and has racked up more than 40,000 social media followers, with guests including Holly Humberstone , Biig Piig , and Lava La Rue .

> “Funding opportunities for music creators are incredibly rare, and so important for the future of music journalism, so I’m feeling both incredibly excited and genuinely grateful!” Iona Bielby , AWAL Creator Fund Recipient

On being selected for the Creator Fund, Bielby said: “It’s a massive weight off my shoulders to be able to continue planning my show’s third season, with this guidance and assistance from AWAL. Funding opportunities for music creators are incredibly rare, and so important for the future of music journalism, so I’m feeling both incredibly excited and genuinely grateful!”

> “The AWAL Creator Fund is an opportunity I am excited to be a part of. Getting to work with like-minded content creators and industry specialists is something I’m looking forward to!” Glenn McFarlane , AWAL Creator Fund Recipient

McFarlane, 18, runs Gigs With Glenn out of Glasgow. His channel was built on backstage interview access with UK and Irish acts including James Marriott , The K’s , and Westside Cowboy . The channel has accumulated over 11,000 followers since its 2024 launch.

McFarlane said: “The AWAL Creator Fund is an opportunity I am excited to be a part of. Getting to work with like-minded content creators and industry specialists is something I’m looking forward to!”

Okoye, 22, is an actor and filmmaker from East London who is looking to develop a new performance show.

Okoye said: “I’m super excited to get started. It feels incredible. It’s an absolute dream to work with some of my favourite artists, and now I’ve got that chance. I can’t wait to explore all the possibilities it’ll open and run through every last door and window of opportunity it may bring. Can’t wait to work with some of the amazing artists we have in the UK and share their talent with the world!”

AWAL says the creators were handpicked after a nationwide open call for UK content creators.

> “After much consideration, we’ve selected a diverse group of creators who bring unique perspectives and genres to the table. We are so excited to support them during the next 5 months of their journey and cannot wait to see them develop.” Rebecca Barry , AWAL

Rebecca Barry , Creator Manager, AWAL said: “The quality and quantity of the applications proved just how much talent is out there in the UK Creator community. After much consideration, we’ve selected a diverse group of creators who bring unique perspectives and genres to the table. We are so excited to support them during the next 5 months of their journey and cannot wait to see them develop.”

> “I’m so excited to be working with these three super-passionate young music fans, who all have tons of ambition and creative ways to introduce great music to the masses.” Jacob Rickard , lemontank

Jacob Rickard , founder and director of lemontank, added: “British musicians are always seeking out new ways to get their music in front of new audiences, so this will be great news for the wider music industry. I’m so excited to be working with these three super-passionate young music fans, who all have tons of ambition and creative ways to introduce great music to the masses. We’re confident their ideas, ambition and determination will take them to great heights – so we’re honored to be part of their journey!”

The structure of the program draws from AWAL’s model, with creators retaining full ownership and creative control over their work. AWAL says this structure allows them to build and monetize their IP the way they want.

Beyond the grant, participants will receive one-on-one sessions with content and production specialists, learning and development sessions and networking opportunities, and the chance to work with AWAL artists and campaigns.

Barry will provide long-term support to the awardees, while Rickard will share expertise on production and format development. Other experts brought into the program include Sinead Mills from Practice Music, and Arif Mahmud, AWAL’s General Counsel, who will share their expertise on public relations and IP law, respectively.

As MBW previously reported, the Creator Fund’s ownership-first approach is consistent with the model that has defined  AWAL  since its founding. The company,  acquired by Sony Music Entertainment from Kobalt Music Group for $430 million in 2021 , allows artists to retain ownership of their copyrights across its tiered service model.

AWAL ‘s UK roster includes artists such as  Jungle ,  Little Simz ,  CMAT  and  James Marriott , the latter of whom  reached No. 1 on the Official UK Albums Chart  with his second studio album earlier this year.

Music Business Worldwide

News United Kingdom AWAL lemontank

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_Originally reported by [Music Business Worldwide](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/awal-creator-fund-picks-its-first-cohort-of-uk-music-content-creators/)._