Double Mercury Prize nominee Ghostpoet is among 12 UK artists to receive a share of more than £180,000 of Government funding in a bid to boost their international reputation.

Ghostpoet, real name Obaro Ejimiwe, released his fourth album earlier this year and collects the money as part of the Department for International Trade and the British Phonographic Industry’s joint campaign to find the next Adele or Ed Sheeran.

Indie rockers The Wombats – who have two top 10 albums to their name – pop punk band ROAM and three-piece Public Service Broadcasting are also receiving grants in the latest round of funding, which brings the total money spent on the Music Export Growth Scheme (Megs) to £2.4 million.

NME Awards 2011 – Arrivals – London
Dan Haggis, Matthew Murphy and Tord Overland-Knudsen of The Wombats (Ian West/PA)

The scheme – which was rebooted in 2016 – makes grants ranging from £5,000 to £50,000 available for artists in order to build on UK success and break into overseas markets.

Ghostpoet said he was planning to use the money to make “inroads into mainland Europe”.

He added: “It’s been a while since I toured over there properly and this cash injection is not only timely but very much appreciated.”

Public Service Broadcasting will use the funding to help with “what often prove to be very expensive overseas tours”.

They added: “On a limited budget such as ours (as is the case with almost every band in the independent sector, who need this kind of support), it really makes a difference.

“We’ll carry on working hard at our end to justify the investment and make the most of the opportunity.”

Applications for the next round of Megs funding open from January 8 and close on February 5.