Spotify to Give $50,000 in Grants to Authors of Unpublished Stories Featuring ‘Exceptional’ Depictions of Mental Health

variety.com:

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Spotify says it will give $50,000 in grants to writers of unpublished stories with the aim of “ending the stigma surrounding mental health.” The company is partnering with The Black List, a platform for filmmakers and writers to showcase projects to industry professionals, and The Jed Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping prevent suicide for teens and young adults, to launch the Spotify x JED Impact Award.

The Spotify x JED Impact Award will provide $10,000 grants to five authors of unpublished manuscripts that feature “exceptional depictions” of mental health in fiction, with the goal diversifying mental health narratives in fiction, the company says.

As part of the initiative, Spotify will cover fee waivers to allow up to 140 writers to receive a free month of hosting and a free evaluation on The Black List platform.

Spotify is offering other resources for authors, including a hub developed in collaboration with JED that provides support both for writing about mental health and for writers’ own mental well-being, as well as one-on-one consulting with JED for awardees.