Incubator Fund Round One grant recipients

We propose to work alongside our partners, Phlexx Records to offer young people between the age of 18-25 years the opportunity to join a training, development and mentoring program, that focuses on developing industry-standard skills within music production, events management and record label management.

• Region East Midlands

The Supporting Neuro Divergent Musicians project will work directly with 5 young people between the ages of 18 – 25 who wish to pursue a career in the music industry and who also have a diagnosis of a neuro divergent condition such as autism.

• Region East of England

A 6 month programme that will support, train and mentor eight 18-25 year olds to create 12 radio shows for Girls I Rate radio to a professional standard, alongside working on personal development for future employment. Particularly aimed at supporting Black womxn to increase their representation in radio.

• Region London

We'd match up young people with a passion for working in the music industry with independent artists and experienced marketers. Each young person will work on a freelance artist development project to improve the marketing and promotion of an artist, receive training and mentoring from AWAL and support from YGN.

• Region London

A remote mentoring programme to empower talented young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to launch their careers in the music industry. Participants will each receive intensive, bespoke guidance, financial support and unique access to networking opportunities to plan and execute their own creative briefs and professional journeys.

• Region London

We will deliver a comprehensive, real life career entry and development opportunity for x 4 young black women - a demographic highly underrepresented in the field of behind the scenes music roles; a mentoring network across 4 very distinct roles of management, live sound, tour management and band leadership

• Region London

As part of a group of music shows ('Originals') we run at Link Up, our young team will be involved in these.

Across these shows, they will be assigned a variety of roles depending on their interests. Working in the following departments: Production, Camera Crew, Sound Tech, Social Media, Blogging.

• Region London

Employ five creative practitioners on six month part time contracts. Hosted by independent music management AEI’s creative workspace The Halley. They get: Hands-on experience delivering real-time creative briefs. Professional Development Awards, develop individual portfolios and career development plans. To access AEI resources to create and show collaborative group work

• Region London

No Signal Academy is an intensive, three-month training programme for young people ages 18-25 interested in getting into the music industry. Led by industry professionals, participants will take part in a choice of one of three curated programmes and will lead a takeover event in Summer 2021.

• Region London

A programme to develop the careers of 3 x artists; alongside a career development opportunity for 1 x music producer - augmented by a series of open music industry workshops for 30 other young people to explore careers in the music industries – including attendance at school / college events.

• Region North East

The training and development of 10 young people across the North East to become the next generation of promoters. They will learn new skills, form peer networks and access mentoring. They will demonstrate their development by each planning and delivering a gig at a North East venue with local artists

• Region North East

Kaleidoscope will guide a group of interns through the process of starting their own record label and releasing their first single. This will include weekly sessions with a range of experts from our colleagues in the wider industry, plus mentoring from Kaleidoscope, covering all aspects of the industry.

• Region North East

A programme for 2 young managers that provides paid work experience with high level musical talent, and brands & companies. Each manager will have a mentor, secondment to management & live agencies in London and Birmingham, portfolio development, and access to frequent Round Table Discussions, and fast paced work experience.

• Region North West

“Career Starter” offers 5 emerging artists the unique development opportunity of running an independent record label for 6 months.  With support and mentoring from industry experts they’ll gain career-defining skills, working collaboratively across key music industry functions to source/develop/manage/promote/market 5 new commercially successful tracks.

• Region North West

Rip It Up will work with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic young people, giving them the tools they need to smash through the barriers and stereotypes that exist in the music business.  Intensive support will be given via training which leads to paid employment alongside support from ongoing industry mentoring.

• Region North West

Radio Earn is a new community radio station created by Creative Crieff . We are intent that it be youth focussed and delivered. We seek funding to provide more direct youth participation in the project. We hope to offer: Creative Youth EARN: Youth Voice on the radio.

• Region Scotland

Music Movemakers is a project aimed at giving young adults (ages 18 to 25) looking to get into the music business tools to aid their progress. Our programme will provide relevant and valuable experience, training, networking and mentoring within a practical setting.

• Region South East

4 Thanet based songwriting camps led by 18-25s, offering young writers, producers and artists a fee to create, be mentored, network and receive feedback from established industry professionals. ‘Next Level’ will nurture, elevate and financially support young people who are currently underrepresented to become the UK’s music leaders of tomorrow.

• Region South East

The Rising will be a new youth-led breakfast radio show for Brighton & Hove.The first of its kind in the City - it will entertain, inspire and empower young people living through this extraordinary time with interviews, live music sessions, public events and more - Rise up with The Rising!

• Region South East

Black Acre is an independent record label and artist management company. Our new project, Pathways, is a paid 8-month programme aimed at 18-25s who live in Bristol and Somerset. We’ll provide real pathways into the music industry through hands-on experience, mentorship and networking. Participants will also be given a grant of £1000 to develop and deliver their own project.

• Region South West

We want to provide 6 young women or non-binary people with a 10-month springboard program. Through the programme they will receive a budget to develop their own new or existing creative projects, whilst receiving one-to-one mentoring and support, professional development coaching and access to digital music conferences and events.

• Region South West

Upsurge Extended builds on our three-year artist development programme (UPSURGE), expanding support and opportunities so that young people can access the full range of opportunities available in the music industry. It has been developed by our youth advisory group and will be based at our new music Hub in Gloucester.

• Region South West

We will employ two young people to release a series of records on our record label. Working in our office and mentored by our partners, they will commission young artists, designers, liaise with engineers, pressing plants, and media. They will play an integral part in growing an emerging radio station.

• Region South West

Beacons is a new bilingual suite of online resources for the future of the music industries in a rural, disconnected Wales. 

Built by young people for young people; and delivered by a diverse range of inspirational role models from across the music industries; providing knowledge, mentorship, networks and opportunity.

• Region Wales

Creation of 5 paid internships for 18-25s who will develop a creative project based around the recording studio at Swansea Community Workshops, developing the Studio as a hub for local musicians, DJs, artists and creatives, while having access to creative, design, tech and entrepreneurial training, support and mentoring.

• Region Wales

We’ll employ three assistant/trainee producers, and six freelance Future Mentors, to take a key role in producing our programme of support for young people in 2021-22. They’ll be key parts of our small team, helping instigate meaningful change and gaining valuable experience and skills whilst earning a Living Wage.

• Region Wales

The programme will extend the reach and network of the culture platform we've been building since 2014. It will support music writers, videographers and content creators by providing direct access to the music industry through our network of highly respected industry people.

• Region West Midlands

Discovery of 5 talented young people through outreach work to help them develop their careers in the Music/Arts industry in the form of a 1 year mentorship with our record label partaking the path of their choice with the outcome to launch their own showcase/festival with they skills the learn.

• Region Yorkshire and the Humber

Ten disadvantaged young people will be commissioned in a specialism of the music industries, accessing a Portfolio programme of support. This includes One-to-one specialists, Mentoring, Workshops, Partner delivery and a Creative Peer Network. The young people will be supported to develop a Music Industries Collective that provides comprehensive music services.

• Region Yorkshire and the Humber

To provide training and skill development in sound recording and music production for women. The project will offer one-to-one support, training, and mentorship from industry based professionals, through live projects and networking opportunities. The end result will also promote grassroots female artist and bands.

• Region Yorkshire and the Humber

Providing 3 young people with mentoring, training and paid experience in order to learn about sound engineering, live streaming, live music event management. Each receiving a grant of £1,000 in order to deliver their own project with support from ourselves and our partners + longer term paid creative opportunites.

• Region Yorkshire and the Humber