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Back again for its second year with music icon Gilles Peterson's Worldwide FM and whisky brand Monkey Shoulder, Studio Monkey Shoulder is the initiative championing grassroots music.

There’s something brewing in the UK’s underground music spaces and it’s not just whisky. Studio Monkey Shoulder, the global grassroots music initiative powered by the bold blended malt brand Monkey Shoulder, is back for its second year. Teaming up once again with legendary DJ and broadcaster Gilles Peterson and his cult community platform Worldwide FM, the project is opening applications this week for its £10,000 UK grant – a golden opportunity for one pioneering music community to make serious noise this summer.

 

Launched in 2024, Studio Monkey Shoulder is a movement designed to champion the lifeblood of music culture – the DIY venues, record stores, radio stations, and collectives who are pushing sonic boundaries while fostering real-world connection. Focused on protecting the spaces where people connect, create and discover music, the initiative aims to encourage a thriving music ecosystem through all sorts of support.

 

“Studio Monkey Shoulder came to us at a crucial time,” last year’s recipients Gut Level, a Sheffield-based nightlife collective, explain: “In all honesty, the Chapel Walk space would not have survived the summer without it.” Their success story is just one example of the initiative’s impact: from a struggling space to a celebrated beacon of inclusive club culture.

This year, the program promises to go even bigger. Beyond the UK, four additional communities from India, Nigeria, Taiwan, and Germany will be selected, reinforcing the initiative’s global reach. Winners won’t just get the funding, they’ll be amplified through Worldwide FM’s storytelling, including bespoke films and radio coverage to shine an international spotlight on local efforts.

 

“I’m thrilled to see Studio Monkey Shoulder grow in its second year in partnership with Worldwide FM,” says Gilles Peterson. “It’s been a privilege to work with the communities we supported in 2024, seeing their projects thrive and come to life. I’m excited to uncover more amazing community-driven projects in the UK and witness the talent that comes with it as the project evolves in year two.”

Even for applicants who don’t take home the main prize, there are opportunities to be seen and heard. Peckham’s Orii Community and Bristol’s Noods Radio, among others, were featured on the Studio Monkey Shoulder stage at last summer’s We Out Here festival, sharing the bill with rising artists and scene mainstays alike.

 

Applications are open now and close 1st June 2025. To find out more and apply, click here now.