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Desk

Funding

Grant bodies are the exception to the secrecy: they publish amounts, eligibility and deadlines, because they need applicants. That makes funding the best-documented money in the sector and the most worth tracking.

Everything on the Funding desk

Kakao Entertainment and Disney Korea partnership announcement for K-pop projects
Kakao announced the collaboration and a possible 'K‑culture fund' but left the fund’s size and timing undisclosed.

Kakao Entertainment and Disney Korea plan around 10 K-pop projects

Kakao Entertainment said it will pair K‑pop IP with Disney stories in 'around 10' projects; freelancers should lock down rights, fees and payment terms now.
Curve Royalty Systems logo with Jamen Capital and Merlin ownership names
Curve’s CEO says ownership now blocks sale to majors; procurement questions for anyone buying royalty services.

Curve divested to Jamen & Merlin — what freelancers must ask

Curve’s sale to Jamen Capital and Merlin restores vendor-aligned ownership — freelancers should demand the same covenants and clarity on exit terms.
A Vinyl Bar in Shibuya — music app startup building playful music software
Founder Máuhan M. Zonoozy confirmed the round and named investors; the company’s Wellfound listing shows a larger funding total.

A Vinyl Bar in Shibuya raises $5.5m pre-seed

TechCrunch reported a $5.5m pre-seed; Zonoozy thanked 13 investors on LinkedIn. Wellfound lists total funding at $9M+ (checked 2026-09-15).
UMG and ElevenLabs announced a licensing deal; ElevenLabs valued at $11bn after Series D
Universal Music Group has licensed ElevenLabs to build a fan-facing remix platform; ElevenLabs reported an $11 billion post-money valuation after a $500 million Series D led by Sequoia Capital.

ElevenLabs $11bn valuation meets UMG licensing deal

UMG licensed ElevenLabs for a fan remix platform; ElevenLabs' $11bn valuation underlines scale, but neither company disclosed commercial terms or a launch date.
Juan Fernando Velasco, leader of Sonido Distrito Sur
New joint venture led by Juan Fernando Velasco aims to export Ecuadorian artists across the Andean region; ownership and funding terms were not published.

Sonido Distrito Sur: UMG and Warner Chappell launch in Ecuador

Universal Music and Warner Chappell have launched Sonido Distrito Sur to support Ecuadorian artists; the partners have not published ownership or financial terms.
ElevenLabs and Universal Music announce a joint AI music platform agreement
Joint press release on 10 September 2026 sets out a platform partnership; commercial terms were not published.

UMG–ElevenLabs AI music deal: freelancers' checklist

Joint UMG–ElevenLabs press release (10 Sep 2026) announced a multi‑year AI music partnership; here’s what freelancers must contract for.
Portrait of Andreea Gleeson
Former TuneCore chief moves to the music funding platform that says it has advanced over USD $100 million.

Andreea Gleeson named CEO of beatBread

Gleeson joins beatBread as CEO; beatBread says it has advanced $100M+ to 2,000+ artists—what freelancers need to know.
Funding

Grant deadlines for music, open now

PPL Momentum, the PRS Composers' Fund, the Early Career Promoter Fund and Musicboard Berlin, with amounts, eligibility and the next date.
Funding

UK screen tax relief: what we could and could not confirm

An honest partial answer, published because a half-verified fact clearly labelled is more useful than silence.
Rainbow Girls heist scene production outside consignment store with crew
Duffuor staged the window-smash on the “very first day of production” and worked around a student budget.

Nana Duffuor's Rainbow Girls: heist shot on first day

The short’s signature heist was filmed on the “very first day of production”, with the team able to afford only "two panes of glass" for the stunt.
Still from Museum of Death: a soul among weathered objects and falling dust in a dim museum space
The director talks craft and cultural reference points but supplies no budget, crew or fee numbers.

Lianpeng Zhao’s Museum of Death — no production figures

Zhao discusses the film's themes and craft; the published interview contains no production budget, crew size, shooting schedule or director’s fee as of 04 August 2026.
Camila de Ilhéus on set of Sofia, static framing and awkward close-ups
De Ilhéus says the film’s in‑story app was delivered in "7 days" and credits the Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund for lab support.

Camila de Ilhéus’s Sofia: 15‑second cringe, 7‑day app build

De Ilhéus says the film’s app was built in "7 days"; Saul Zaentz provided lab support and mentoring, with further development over "a couple of months".
Interior still of Long’s Long Lost & Mini Mart showing cluttered convenience store aisles and a back-room doorway
Julian Doan says the Rising Voices fellowship offers $100,000 per director; he submitted the idea that became Long’s Long Lost & Mini Mart.

Doan: Rising Voices 'gives' $100,000 to ten directors

Doan said the Rising Voices fellowship 'gives' $100,000 to ten directors to make films loosely inspired by the future of work.