eO Creator Fund
Help Us Build A New Kind Of Orchestra
At Engines Orchestra, we believe in the transformative power of music. Our mission as a registered charity is to unite diverse genres and push the boundaries of artistic expression through groundbreaking cross-genre collaborations. By supporting brilliant artists with the ambition to create new sounds, we foster a vibrant musical landscape that resonates with audiences across the UK. We support and develop projects with artists at all career stages, creating equal opportunities both for concert hall fillers and developing artists.
Kickstarting these innovative projects requires more than just performance fees. We also need to commission new arrangements, fund project research and development, and capture high-quality audio and video that amplify our reach and impact. That’s where the Engines Orchestra Creator Fund comes in.
Thanks to our generous supporters, we successfully raised £3,000 to bring a full 11-piece string section to Belle Chen’s Ravel in the Forest at the EFG London Jazz Festival 2024. This milestone launched the Creator Fund and demonstrated how direct donor support can elevate our artist-led, cross-genre orchestral projects to the highest level.
We are now reopening the Fund to raise £5050 to support the additional recording costs for Joy Ellis’ One Hundred Years, helping us document and share her powerful new orchestral repertoire.
Together, we can build a new kind of orchestra.
Current Project:
Joy Ellis’ One Hundred Years
Help us record Joy’s first orchestral album
Over the past year, Engines Orchestra have partnered with London-based pianist, singer and composer Joy Ellis on a new project supported by Arts Council England’s Developing Your Creative Practice (DYCP) programme. This grant enabled Joy to learn new orchestration and arranging skills, receiving expert mentoring from Tim Garland, Josephine Davies, and Phil Meadows, as well as undertaking R&D sessions with Engines Orchestra musicians.
What began as a period of skills development quickly grew into something much more. During this time, Joy created a series of new songs that exceeded all expectations. Working closely with our team, she has crafted her first body of work for orchestra - a vibrant collection that expands her established sound as a jazz piano-vocalist into a richer orchestral context, blending jazz harmony and improvisation with classical and groove-based influences.
DYCP support is designed to help artists learn, experiment and explore behind the scenes without the pressure of presenting their new skills to the public, but for Joy it has opened up a whole new creative avenue - one she now wants audiences to hear. The music she has written deserves to be documented and shared, and the next step is to record this new repertoire so it can reach listeners beyond the rehearsal room. Unfortunately, the DYCP grant does not fund recording or release activity, which is why we are now asking for your support.
These compositions will form Joy’s fourth studio album, One Hundred Years, planned for release in Autumn 2026. To move from page to performance (and to let this music reach the audiences it deserves) we need to capture the orchestral material developed during the DYCP project.
With the studio already booked for late January, and Joy self-funding both these costs and the session fees for her core band, the next step is to support the 15 orchestral musicians and creative team needed to bring the orchestral elements to life. We’ve already secured the funds for the final rehearsals - now we need your help to complete the recording.
By contributing, you’ll help us capture this music to a professional standard, share it with listeners, and lay the foundations for future performances and touring.
Your support will make a meaningful difference.
About Joy Ellis
Joy Ellis is a London-based pianist, singer and composer whose music blends jazz harmony, improvisation and contemporary songwriting with classical and groove-based influences. She has released three critically acclaimed albums of original music, earning ★★★★ reviews from MOJO, The Guardian and Jazzwise (Editor’s Choice), and airplay on BBC Radio 3.
She has performed at leading UK venues and festivals including Ronnie Scott’s, Roundhouse Camden, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Manchester Jazz Festival, and the EFG London Jazz Festival, supported by Arts Council England and Help Musicians UK.
Influenced by artists such as Esperanza Spalding, Camila Meza and Joni Mitchell, Joy’s music is known for its lyricism, rhythmic energy and emotional depth.
One Hundred Years will be her first album to feature full orchestral arrangements - and her most ambitious creative project to date.
What Your Support Will Make Possible
We are raising £5,050 to record the orchestral elements of Joy Ellis’ new album.
Recording this music is the crucial next step in bringing One Hundred Years to life. The studio is already booked for late January, Joy is self-funding the sessions with her core band, and we have secured the funding for the final rehearsals.
The missing piece is the orchestral recording, and we need to generate the funds needed to capture the strings and brass that give this music its depth, colour and emotional power. This session forms the foundation of the entire record, and completing it will allow Joy to move on to editing, mixing, mastering and preparing the album for release in Autumn 2026.
Your support will directly enable:
• Fair payment for 15 professional orchestral musicians
Your donation helps us provide top-up funding to ensure the string and brass players are paid fairly for the recording session.
• Artistic direction and production leadership
Our Artistic Director will guide three days of recording, producing the small band sessions and conducting the orchestra. He will work closely with Joy to shape the creative process and ensure the orchestral material is captured to the highest standard.
• Orchestral management and session coordination
Behind every professional recording is a huge amount of unseen work - contracting musicians, scheduling sessions, preparing scores and parts, running the studio day. Your support will also help make this possible.
How Your Donation Makes a Difference.
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£20 | Be Part of the Journey
It takes a village to support an artist’s development. Help us get this project into the studio.
Perks:
- Digital download of the album on release
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£50+ | Support Creative Preparation
Help us print the conductor score and orchestral parts used in the recording session.
Perks:
- Digital download of the album on release
- Optional listing as a Supporter of the eO Creator Fund (12 months)
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£100+ | Strengthen the Recording Session
Supports essential orchestral management to contract players, organise logistics and prepare for the session.
Perk:
- Digital download of the album on release
- Personal thank you in album liner notes
- Optional listing as a Supporter of the eO Creator Fund (12 months)
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£250+ | Sponsor a Musician
Support the professional recording of one orchestral musician, and help us sustain fair fees.
Perks:
- Digital download of the album on release
- Personal thank you in album liner notes
- Invitation to an exclusive online Q&A with Joy Ellis and Phil Meadows for a sneak preview of the music and behind-the-scenes discussions
- Optional listing as a Sponsor of the eO Creator Fund (12 months)
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£500 + | Ensemble Champion
Support the professional recording of two orchestral musicians, and help us sustain fair fees.
Perk:
- All of the above +
- Invitation to observe part of the final orchestral rehearsal (daytime in London, 23-27 Jan, date TBC)
- Optional listing as a Sponsor of the eO Creator Fund (12 months)
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£1000 + | Book the Brass
Supports the recording of Joy’s full brass section - a vital part of the album’s soundworld.
Perks:
- All of the above +
- Early access to the digital download
- Two tickets to the project premiere performance (date/venue TBC)
- Optional listing (optional) as a Major Supporter of the eO Creator Fund (12 months)
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£2500 + | Principal Project Supporter
Helps secure the orchestral recording, artistic leadership, and session delivery at a pivotal moment in the project.
Perks:
- All of the above +
- Private project update call with our Artistic Director, Phil Meadows + Joy Ellis.
- Invitation to future Engines Orchestra rehearsals or R&D sharings (where appropriate)
- Optional listing as a Principal Project Supporter of the eO Creator Fund.
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£5000+ | Philanthropic or Corporate Support (Get in Touch)
For individuals, families, foundations or brand partners wishing to support the project at a higher level. Larger contributions can make transformative differences to our work at Engines Orchestra.
To discuss bespoke support packages, please contact Phil Meadows (phil@enginesorchestra.com)
Perks:
Tailored benefits and recognition based on your interests.
Our Commitment to You
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who supports the Creator Fund.
If we exceed our £5,050 target, any additional donations will remain within the project to support future rehearsals and live performances of One Hundred Years.
To make sure you recieve your perks, please leave your name and e-mail address when donating through our PayPal giving Fund.
Your generosity helps ensure this music gets to be heard.
Thank you for your support!
The Creator Fund at Work: Elevating Belle Chen on an International Stage
In November 2024, thanks to our generous supporters, the eO Creator Fund was launched, and you helped us to present pianist and composer Belle Chen as a headline artist at the internationally recognised EFG London Jazz Festival. Before the Fund existed, we could only support Belle’s vision with a string quartet - but with your support, we were able to bring a full 11-piece string section, showcasing her original music on a larger, more ambitious scale.
This enabled Belle’s work to be experienced with the depth, colour and impact it was written for, creating a more immersive performance for audiences and a stronger platform for industry guests attending the show. The enhanced scale allowed us to present Belle’s artistry in a way that closely matched her creative ambition, helping ensure she received the visibility and profile the festival offers, and the credit her music deserves.
Since this performance, Belle has continued to flourish creatively, including recording and releasing with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and announcing an extensive EU tour for 2026. While these achievements are entirely the result of Belle’s own artistry, the Creator Fund helped provide a high-profile platform and maximise the impact of a key performance at an important moment in her career.
Thank You For Your Support.
Thank You For Your Support.
Join Us in Making Musical History
Together, we can foster an environment where musical boundaries are pushed, new sounds are created, and great art is brought to life. By supporting the Engines Orchestra Creator Fund, you will make a lasting impact on the careers of talented artists and enrich the experiences of audiences across the UK.