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Words by Maxine Thomas-Asante.
“We fund creativity that changes the world.” That’s usually my starting point when people ask what exactly the Power of Pop Fund is. It’s simple. True. And it usually gets a smile… followed by a curious look. Not judgmental. Not sceptical. Just a look that says: “That’s really interesting. Tell me more.” So, we thought it was worth starting right at the beginning with a series of posts exploring the questions:
What is the Power of Pop Fund?
How does it operate?
What have we learnt so far?
This is the first post in our series POP Foundation Series, it launches a series of conversations, diving into our approach to participation, community-based governance, and the impact we’ve seen in our first three years. We hope you’ll join us for the journey.
Why invest in pop culture for social and environmental justice? 🎬
To understand why pop culture is at the heart of what we do, let’s start with a definition. We see pop culture as a collection of creative ideas — and people’s interaction with them — that create widely shared reference points at scale. Pop culture is not only the incredible content we consume, it is also the ways audiences come to collectively own and engage with that content. Pop culture, meaning both the stories themselves and the conversations around them, can radically shift public understanding and spark meaningful action. We’ve seen it happen.
Netflix’s Supacell, a show exploring sickle cell experiences in London, led to a 20% increase in enquiries to the UK Sickle Cell Society.
Channel 4’s It’s A Sin drove the biggest-ever surge in HIV test orders during National HIV Testing Week and sparked a 3,100% jump in searches for “Why was AIDS so deadly in the 80s?”
BBC’s The Archers storyline about Helen Titchener generated a 20% rise in calls to the National Domestic Violence helpline and public support for coercive control laws.
Time and again, pop culture shapes narratives and catalyses action. The Power of Pop Fund exists to amplify that potential through philanthropic support.
What is the Power of Pop Fund? 🤔
The Power of Pop Fund is a pooled fund supporting organisations that use pop culture and creativity to advance justice in the UK. Our focus is on migration and racial justice, while recognising the interconnectedness of climate, gender, economic, and democratic justice. Together, our funded partners use storytelling and cultural strategies to amplify the voices and experiences of racialised communities, working toward a more equitable society.
We champion community leaders, support innovative organisations, and nurture the field. Currently, we support nine funded partners across three cohorts — soon to be twelve.Our vision is simple: a society where bold, thought-provoking creativity inspires people to believe in and demand a fairer future. We encourage ambitious, radical approaches to racial and migrant justice — always grounded in love, care, and shared humanity Our guiding principles are:
Bold experimentation
Lived experience leadership
Adaptability
Patient collaboration
Collective learning
Radical love
In practice, we do three things:
Fund charities and community interest companies using cultural and narrative strategies.
Facilitate connections (through research and events) to build a field of practice in the UK.
Champion community leadership to ensure authentic stories reach mainstream audiences.
What makes this Fund special?
Building the Power of Pop Fund has been a labour of love; an authentic approach to philanthropy rooted in community and humanity. At our core, we believe in the possibility of a socially, economically, and environmentally just world.
The magic of cultural strategy starts with understanding how collective values are formed through stories, and seeding narratives that create a healthier, thriving society. Behind this work is an incredible team, including staff and our Community Council — and we can’t wait to share more of their stories.
Keen to keep reading and listening?
We hope this first post sparks your curiosity. In the upcoming pieces in the POP Foundations series, we’ll explore our approach to learning and community leadership, showing that how we do this work is just as important as what we do.
Join us for the next piece in this series: Learning That Leaves A Legacy.
