Black History Year: University of Westminster announces two recipients of its prestigious Richard Antwi Scholarship

The Richard Antwi Scholarship was first awarded in 2018 as a response to the sudden death of hugely respected industry lawyer, manager and entrepreneur, Richard Antwi, who had contributed to the Music Business Management MA course on numerous occasions as a guest lecturer. 

It aims to provide full support to students studying on the course at Westminster, covering full tuition fees, a contribution to living expenses and the opportunity to undertake work experience. It is aimed at music entrepreneurs from the UK Black and minority ethnic community, and applicants who share the late Richard Antwi’s passion for music and his entrepreneurial spirit. This year, for the first time, the scholarship has been awarded to two students.

Shanice Edwards is the first recipient of this year’s scholarship, and is a Music Business and Arts Management Graduate who began studying music at Birmingham’s first performing arts academy Birmingham Ormiston Academy. She is a first-generation graduate from an extremely proud family of Caribbean heritage, and has been driven in developing her understanding of the music industry academically and has gained experience through both independent projects and voluntary work. Shanice is passionate about new artists, music creation and giving opportunities to talent and is focused on a career in the A&R field of the music industry. 

Universal Music UK will fund the second scholarship award, which will see Idris Green-Holder awarded a full scholarship on the Music Business Management MA before joining Universal Music UK Graduate Programme as Richard Antwi Graduate Programme Executive. Idris was born and raised in Handsworth, Birmingham, is from Jamaican heritage and studied social work at the University of West London, with an initial dream to work within the mental health sector. Two years ago, Idris started a music management company which manages Black music artists from the West Midlands. With a lifelong passion for music and A&R, the career pivot provided the confirmation that he needed to really pursue his purpose with passion.

The Richard Antwi Scholarship programme has also made a contribution towards the fees of Ree Sewell, the runner-up of the scholarship and also a winner of the PRS Foundation Power Up prize which supports Black music creators to foster meaningful change in the industry.

Talking about receiving the scholarship, Shanice Edwards said: “I feel so blessed and grateful to have been awarded the Richard Antwi Scholarship, the access and support I will have and the chance to connect to Richard’s close friends and family is such an amazing opportunity. To already have the organisation believe in me feels so powerful and I can’t wait to get started! I never met Richard, but I can feel how much he meant to so many, and I am already so thankful to him.”

Idris Green-Holder added: “I’ve always been deeply in love with music. I think that has a lot to do with my culture and upbringing, the way music makes me feel and the places it takes me to. Especially in my adult life, it’s helped to keep me sane and inspired my creativity.

“Having dyslexia, the education system in general has been challenging for me, but I am excited to return to studying and apply everything I’ve learnt in my career to the course. It feels like a new beginning to me, and I feel extremely blessed to be a recipient of the scholarship and to be on this journey as part of Universal Music UK’s graduate programme.”

Sally-Anne Gross, Course Leader for the Music Business Management MA, added: “So much has happened in the music space over the last 20 months it is hard to take in and at the same time it feels like there is so much urgent work to get done. This is especially true when it comes to matters of equality, diversity and sustainability in music and of course mental health.

“On the Music Business Management MA course, we have been at the forefront of bringing these topics into music business education and our students bring their experiences, knowledge and passion with them and it is inspirational for all of us.”

Learn more about the scholarship on the Richard Antwi Scholarship website.

Find out more about music courses at the University of Westminster.