Salt Lick Incubator Offers Grants to Emerging Songwriters, Board includes T Bone Burnett, Jon Batiste, and More

A new Boston-based non-profit, Salt Lick Incubator, is aiming to support “diverse, emerging musicians” with no-strings-attached grants and collaboration opportunities to bolster their growing careers.

With a focus on R&B, neo-soul, singer-songwriters, Americana, bluegrass, folk, and their Latin and African roots, the non-profit will seek out artists that have “a fire in the belly” to pursue their career in music and would like to be a part of a larger collective.

Salt Lick Incubator offers microgrants of $5-15k per artist. The financial help will aid in covering everything from studio time, pressing vinyl, producing videos, tour support, marketing, and more. The best part? The artist retains all rights. Artists can apply, HERE.

Led by Roger Brown (former president of Berklee College of Music), Liza Levy (former Rounder Records & UMG exec), and Jennifer Roe, Salt Lick Incubator already has a star-studded advisory board, including the likes of Harvey Mason Jr, T Bone Burnett, Jon Batiste, Patrice Rushen, Claude Kelly, Alison Brown, and Will Wells.

“We believe in the power of music to inspire, transform, soothe, provoke, and give expression to our deepest aspirations and hopes,” says Brown. “We also honor the artists who are committed to join the tradition of the griots and troubadours who give us these musical gifts. Music is one of the most powerful tools we have to help people understand, hear, and embrace one another.”

Burnett adds, “I’m delighted to be part of helping the next generation of music-makers bring their gifts to us all.  The sacred, timeless act of making music is the way we nourish ourselves and rejuvenate the soul.  It is the source of our connection and commitment to one another.”

In addition to advising plans set by an artist, Salt Lick Incubator will also hold songwriter/artist retreats, put on live performances and facilitate artist-led group meetings with managers, agents, and labels.

Hosted by grant awardee and songwriter Beane Hepler, a Youtube series is in the works, which will feature weekly episodes with fellow micro-grant recipients and national artists. The series will give fans an intimate look into the artists bolstered by the non-profit. The initial episodes feature Tiny Habits, Beane, PAMÉ, and Alisa Amador. Watch them, HERE.  

Upcoming sessions will feature Lizzy McAlpine, Old Crow Medicine Show, Gaby Moreno, Dustbowl Revival, Sierra Hull, Aoife O’Donovan, and India Carney. 

Photo Jon Batiste by David Needleman / T Bone Burnett Courtesy of T Bone Burnett