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No Grass Without Roots

The past two Mercury Prize wins highlight the crucial role grassroots music plays in shaping the future of the industry. It’s time to stand up for grassroots youth and community music.

Decolonising the Music Curriculum

From jungle to grime, UK garage to Afroswing, Black British music has shaped the world. So why isn’t it in classrooms? Remi Fairweather Stride, Chair of our IDEA Working Group, calls for faster progress in decolonising the music curriculum.

WILD Young Parents: Music Makes Us Happy

WILD Young Parents' ‘Music Makes Me Happy – Our Stories’ project helps the young parents and their babies express themselves and share their tales through music.

NextGen Fund Round Eight Recipients

Announcing the recipients of the eighth round of the Youth Music NextGen Fund: 36 young creatives making their ideas happen with a grant of up to £2,500.

Being Energised by the Early Years

It's time to invest in the creative power of our babies and toddlers. That's why we have launched our new Energiser Fund, to celebrate and energise creative practice with 2-4-year-olds.

The Beat Goes On: AI and the Future of Music

How are AI tools affecting the creative processes of young musicians? Youth Music NextGen Fund artist Sweet Philly discusses the benefits and concerns surrounding AI tools, which free programs are available, and how they would use them when making a track.

LGBTQIA+ Artists in Focus

To celebrate LGBT+ History Month, Youth Music NextGen photographer Maia Walker captures portraits of three young, queer musicians based in Liverpool.

NextGen Spotlight: Mari Mathias

To celebrate Welsh Language Music Day, Youth Music NextGen Fund artist Mari Mathias discusses the importance of celebrating folklore, tradition and the Celtic language through music.

NextGen Fund Round Seven Recipients

Announcing the recipients of the sixth round of the Youth Music NextGen Fund: 34 young creatives making their ideas happen with a grant of up to £2,500.

Youth Music Awards 2023: Highlights

Held at London’s Troxy on Wednesday 18 October, the Youth Music Awards in association with Hal Leonard Europe celebrated the most forward-thinking projects and people making, learning and earning in music.

NextGen Fund Round Six Recipients

Announcing the recipients of the sixth round of the Youth Music NextGen Fund: 35 young creatives making their ideas happen with a grant of up to £2,500.

Doing It All at Do Your Own Thing

Creative community project, Do Your Own Thing, enables young people with learning disabilities and autistic young people to harness their boundless imagination.

NextGen Fund Round Five Recipients

Announcing the recipients of the fifth round of the Youth Music NextGen Fund: 35 young creatives making their ideas happen with a grant of up to £2,500.

NextGen Fund Round Four Recipients

Announcing the recipients of the fourth round of the Youth Music NextGen Fund: 34 young creatives making their ideas happen with a grant of up to £2,500.

NextGen: One Year On

One year on from the first set of NextGens receiving their grants, we reflect how it has equalised access to the music industries for emerging creatives.

D-Max's Story

D-Max's story is an inspirational tale of strength and perseverance. From moving countries to transitioning and following his musical dream, his artistic journey has been about both finding balance and coming into his own.

Youth Music Awards 2022: Highlights

On 19 October, hundreds attended the Youth Music Awards 2022, in association with Hal Leonard Europe. This year, we asked people to Tune In to new sounds, new opinions and the new future music industries. 

Youth Music NextGen Community share their experiences of working in the music industry

In 2019, more than sixty 18-25 year olds have benefited from paid freelance work as a result, with more than one thousand also enjoying access to industry expertise and job opportunities through our Youth Music NextGen community.

Find out what impact we’ve had so far, and what more we can do to help more young people make, learn and earn in music.

NextGen Fund Round Three recipients

Announcing the recipients of the third round of the Youth Music NextGen Fund: 32 young creatives making their ideas happen with a grant of up to £2,500.

NextGen Fund Round Two recipients

Announcing the recipients of the second round of the Youth Music NextGen Fund: 34 young creatives making their ideas happen with a grant of up to £2,500.

Incubator Fund Round Three Grant Recipients

We're backing 27 more organisations through the Youth Music #IncubatorFund - opening up sustainable careers in music for people aged 18-25. Explore the creative employers incubating new and diverse talent with grants of up to £30k.

NextGen Fund Round One recipients

Learn more about the first round of organisations receiving grants from our Incubator Fund, designed to help open up access to sustainable careers in music for people aged 18-25, particularly those who are underrepresented; and to support creative employers to innovate and incubate new and diverse talent.

What we've learned about young people working in the music industries so far

In 2019, more than sixty 18-25 year olds have benefited from paid freelance work as a result, with more than one thousand also enjoying access to industry expertise and job opportunities through our Youth Music NextGen community.

Find out what impact we’ve had so far, and what more we can do to help more young people make, learn and earn in music.

Inside the music industry

Ever wondered what it's like to work in the music industry? Introducing our new three-part YouTube series, Inside the music industry, a sit down with professionals working in the industry to discuss their jobs, and share advice for young people trying to get their foot in the door.

Incubator Fund Round Two grant recipients

Learn more about the second round of organisations receiving grants from our Incubator Fund, designed to help open up access to sustainable careers in music for people aged 18-25, particularly those who are underrepresented in the music industries.

Making an album in lockdown: Circle of Light

Nottingham based project Circle of Light took 2020 by storm with a new album, recorded and produced during lockdown. Hear from six of their participants about their time on the project.

Incubator Fund Round One grant recipients

Learn more about the first round of organisations receiving grants from our Incubator Fund, designed to help open up access to sustainable careers in music for people aged 18-25, particularly those who are underrepresented; and to support creative employers to innovate and incubate new and diverse talent.

The Higher Frequency

Produced and presented by the next generation of creators across the UK, Youth Music’s original podcast, The Higher Frequency, delves into the social and political issues behind the music you love. This six-part series features special guests GIRLI, Zoka the Author, [K S R], Lavs, Estee Blu, Nadia Khan, VITAL and more.

Live in Lockdown: advice for new DJs

Live in Lockdown is a series of interviews with young DJs and producers about their experiences getting into DJing, how their careers and creativity has been affected by lockdown and their advice for new DJs. 

Supporting artists in South Wales to achieve their ambitions

Youth Music has partnered with PRS Foundation to support their nationwide Talent Development Partner programme. Ellie, a member of Next Gen interviewed Spike Griffiths, Project Director of Forté Project, to find out more about how the project is supporting young musicians in South Wales.

"Rap is me" - Taz's story

Taz is a 17-year-old rapper from Cambridge. Over the last three years she’s taken part in a number of music-making projects run by local youth charity Romsey Mill.