Murmur

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £240,000+ (2024)
• Total Pledges Raised: £1,000,000+
• Founded: December 2020, launched publicly March 2024
• Focus Areas: Climate action, arts, music
• Geographic Focus: England (registered), international grant-making

Contact Details

• Website: www.murmur.earth
• Email: info@murmur.earth
• Phone: 020 8875 6237
• Address: 85-87 Southgate Road, London, N1 3JS

Overview

MURMUR is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered in December 2020 and launched publicly in March 2024. Founded by Caius Pawson (Young record label) and Matthew Slotover (co-founder of Frieze), with Victoria Siddall as Founding Director, MURMUR brings together the worlds of art, music and climate science in a pioneering initiative. The charity has raised pledges exceeding £1 million from partner organisations in the art and music industries who commit to carbon audits, emissions reductions aligned with 1.5°C targets, and annual financial contributions. In 2024, MURMUR distributed over £240,000 to groundbreaking climate-focused projects. The charity's official purposes are to promote the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment, and to advance public education in environmental conservation.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

MURMUR operates three distinct funding categories:

Change the Industry

Funds projects aimed at making positive environmental change within the visual arts and music sectors themselves. Examples include:

• IMPALA Carbon Calculator development for the independent music sector
• Climate Partner's record manufacturing supply chain project
• Climate Action Services International (CASI PROJECT) for arts sector consulting

Change the Conversation

Focuses on initiatives that inspire new storytelling and positive action around climate change. Examples include:

• Murmur Artist Support (MAS) programme supporting artists who want to speak up on climate issues

Change the World

Identifies projects with lasting and tangible global impacts in tackling the climate crisis. Examples include:

• Repórter Brasil (NGO investigating environmental issues)
• Friends of the Earth Europe and European Coalition for Corporate Justice campaign for emission reduction laws
• Systemic Justice (climate law charity)

Grant amounts are not publicly specified but 2024 funding totalled over £240,000 distributed across multiple projects.

Priority Areas

• Climate action and emissions reduction within arts and music industries
• Environmental education and public engagement
• Sustainable practices in creative sectors
• Climate justice and corporate accountability
• Innovative storytelling about climate change
• Projects with global environmental impact

What They Don't Fund

Not explicitly stated, but the charity focuses specifically on:

• Projects connected to arts and music industries
• Climate and environmental initiatives
• Organizations aligned with 1.5°C emissions targets

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Governance and Leadership

Founding Director: Victoria Siddall (former Frieze board member, now Director of National Portrait Gallery)

Founders:

• Caius Pawson (Founder, Young record label)
• Matthew Slotover (Co-founder, Frieze; founding member of Gallery Climate Coalition)

Advisory Structure:

Three separate advisory boards made up of climate leaders from respective industries provide guidance on grants across the three funding categories. Board members include:

• Chris Stark (CEO, UK Climate Change Committee)
• Vedantha Kumar (Climate Manager, Children's Investment Fund Foundation)
• Will Hutton (Head of Sustainability, Premier League)

Key Leadership Quote:

Caius Pawson states: “Culture is upstream of politics... When artists successfully talk with their audience about subjects they care deeply about, things can change extremely quickly.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

MURMUR does not appear to have a public, open application process. Grant recipients are selected by expert advisory boards working across the three funding categories (Change the Industry, Change the Conversation, Change the World).

The charity operates on a partnership model where organizations become funding partners by:

1. Committing to a carbon audit
2. Reducing carbon emissions in line with a 1.5°C future
3. Making annual financial contributions to MURMUR's shared fund based on environmental impact

For organizations interested in MURMUR's grants, the best approach is to contact the charity directly at info@murmur.earth or visit www.murmur.earth for more information about how to engage with their work.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. The charity announced its first major round of funding recipients in October 2024, approximately six months after its public launch in March 2024.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available as the application process is not open to general applications.

Application Success Factors

While MURMUR does not have a standard application process, their grant-making patterns reveal key priorities:

Strategic Alignment with Music/Arts Industries: All 2024 grant recipients demonstrate clear connections to the visual arts or music sectors. Projects that transform industry practices from within (like the IMPALA Carbon Calculator) are prioritized.

Scalable Impact: MURMUR favours projects with potential for lasting, tangible global impacts. Repórter Brasil and Friends of the Earth Europe exemplify this with their systemic change approaches.

Expert-Led Projects: Recipients include established organizations with proven track records in their respective fields - from industry bodies like IMPALA to international NGOs.

Innovation in Climate Communication: The “Change the Conversation” category demonstrates MURMUR's interest in creative approaches to climate storytelling, particularly through artist voices.

Systems Change Focus: Support for projects like corporate accountability laws and supply chain transparency indicates interest in structural rather than purely symptomatic solutions.

1.5°C Alignment: All funded work aligns with Paris Agreement targets and urgent climate science timelines.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• MURMUR operates primarily through a partnership model rather than open applications - organizations interested in funding should first explore becoming a partner organization
• The charity focuses exclusively on climate action within or through arts and music industries - projects outside these sectors are unlikely to be considered
• Expert advisory boards select recipients, suggesting that professional networks and reputation within climate/arts/music sectors matter significantly
• Projects demonstrating scalable, systemic change appear to be prioritized over individual or one-off initiatives
• Direct contact via info@murmur.earth is recommended for organizations interested in engaging with MURMUR's work
• The charity launched publicly in 2024, making it a relatively new funder with evolving grant-making practices
• Understanding and commitment to 1.5°C emissions targets is fundamental to alignment with MURMUR's mission

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• P H Holt Foundation
• Ennismore Foundation
• The Gillian Dickinson Trust
• The Sussex Community Foundation
• OGLESBY CHARITABLE TRUST
• The Halpin Trust
• TALBOT VILLAGE TRUST
• Milton Keynes Community Foundation Limited
• The David Snowdon Trust
• Hollick Family Foundation

References

1. UK Charity Commission Register - MURMUR (1192676): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5161541/full-print

1. IMPALA - “MURMUR ANNOUNCES FUNDING RECIPIENTS FOR 2024 AND THE LAUNCH OF MURMUR ARTIST SUPPORT”: https://impalamusic.org/murmur-announces-funding-recipients-for-2024-and-the-launch-of-murmur-artist-support/

1. Music Ally - “Murmur charity to focus on art, music and climate science”: https://musically.com/2024/03/19/murmur-charity-to-focus-on-art-music-and-climate-science/

1. FAD Magazine - "New charity Murmur aims to unite art & music industries against climate change": https://fadmagazine.com/2024/03/19/new-charity-murmur-aims-to-unite-art-music-industries-against-climate-change/

1. Music Week - "Murmur charity launches with mission to transform industry's environmental impact": https://www.musicweek.com/labels/read/murmur-charity-launches-with-mission-to-transform-industry-s-environmental-impact/089481

1. Complete Music Update - “Music and visual arts organisations back new climate change charity Murmur”: https://completemusicupdate.com/music-and-visual-arts-organisations-back-new-climate-change-charity-murmur/

1. Charity Choice - MURMUR Charity Profile: https://www.charitychoice.co.uk/murmur-1192676

1. Giving is Great - MURMUR Charity Factsheet: https://givingisgreat.org/database/charity-factsheet/?regNo=1192676