AudioUK and the Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund announce partnership to further recognise diverse talent

UK audio producers’ trade body AudioUK has been announced as a media partner to introduce and publicise the Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund in the UK.

The Fund has already been running in the U.S. and Canada, supporting independent audio creators to submit work to U.S. and Canada competitions, by covering submission fees for producers, editors, and others.

The Fund supports independent BIPOC and LGBTQ+ audio producers to submit high-quality work to media and journalism awards. The resulting creation of a more diverse set of award nominees and winners increases the diversity of award entrants, and the opportunities that winning an award brings.

The Fund welcomes reimbursement requests throughout the year for awards applied to in the previous 12 months from the application date.

The Fund’s partners include Spotify, Acast, AIR and SiriusXM.

It will enable producers to apply for the UK’s many podcasting awards, including the Audio Production Awards (APAs) run by AudioUK.

If any companies or individuals would like to contribute to the fund, they can do so via Patreon.

Chloe Straw, Managing Director of AudioUK, said:

“Supporting initiatives like this is part of our ongoing commitment to making our sector more diverse and inclusive. This Fund has already been working well in the U.S. and Canada and has major backing from some leading podcast platforms and partners. We really hope people will use it to put themselves forward to gain recognition for their work in audio and make our awards ever more diverse and inclusive”.

Nina Robinson, a supporter of the Fund in the UK and owner of AudioUK member company Soundtruism, pictured, said:

“I have been working with Juleyka Lantigua, the founder of the Podcasting Seriously Awards Fund in the US, to expand the fund to the UK. My personal experience as a South Asian woman from Birmingham has motivated me to use my privilege, as a recipient of industry awards, to foster inclusion to benefit others in a meaningful and practical way. My hope is that innovatively and carefully crafted programmes by a whole range of producers and journalists can be recognised and rewarded.”

Juleyka Lantigua, who founded LWC Studios four years ago after a long career in media, said:

“I see the Fund’s UK extension as a natural next step in helping global podcast talent rise, so we can all benefit from their work and enjoy their creative gifts.”