As part of it's 10th anniversary celebrations, V2 Music Group and its other label partners under Cooperative Music, and Times Media are inviting European independent music labels to apply for a Music Business Development Grant to help develop their business.

The competition will run for a six month period, through 3 stages of selection, at the end of which one label will be offered a label deal with Cooperative Music. The Grant, worth an initial £35,000, will include:

A UK & Ireland Manufacturing, Distribution and Sales deal with V2

An international licensing deal for Continental Europe with Cooperative Music

As a further benefit, Alison Wenham, Chair and CEO of AIM has offered a free membership of the Association for the successful applicant.

The competition will be open to any individual in Europe who is either already running an independent record label or has a solid project plan to do so. In order to apply, applicants are invited to download the attached application form below and submit it by Friday 4th May 2007.

Forms can be sent by e-mail to business.grant@v2music.com or by post to:
Music Business Development Grant, V2Music, Unit 24, 101 Farm Lane Trading Estate, Fulham, London, SW6 1QJ.

Selected plans will enter further stages of assessment, with the final selection of 10 businesses being invited for interview. The panel, made up of Vincent Clery-Melin, Managing Director of Cooperative Music, Tony Harlow, CEO of V2 Music Group, with representatives from Times Media, as well as other independent label executives will then select the label which will be offered the business grant.

Download entry form

Terms and conditions

Win a set of 12 great albums to celebrate the 10th anniversary of V2 click here for details

Free Music Podcast

To provide a flavour of what the V2 Music Group and Cooperative Music are all about, please listen to the below podcast. The podcast, hosted by Sarah Darling, features music from both labels.

Download Podcast

Claim £1 off Any Album

If none of the above takes your fancy you can also visit www.Play.com/v2records and claim an exclusive £1 off any album featured. To claim your discount simply visit the site and enter the claim code V2TIMES where requested.