Youth Music: NextGen Fund
Overview
Youth Music NextGen Fund
The Youth Music NextGen Fund is for early-stage musicians and wider music adjacent creatives to invest up to £3,000 in their own projects and make their ideas happen. The fund is especially aimed at those whose lack of finance holds them back from pursuing their goals.
It's open to 18–25-year-olds (and up to 30-year-olds who identify as d/Deaf or Disabled) who live in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
They want to support the future of the music industries. Singers, Rappers, Songwriters, Producers, DJs, A&Rs, Managers and Agents, right through to roles that have yet to be defined.
The Next Gen Fund intends to help young people build confidence in applying for funding, project planning and execution. They especially would like to hear from people who have never applied for funding before. It is unlikely that they’ll prioritise your application if you’ve already received significant financial support for your work (for example through an Arts Council or a PRS Foundation grant).
This fund is designed to help emerging artists and professionals develop the skills needed to participate in the fast-moving music industries. Modern creatives are having to be more versatile than ever, and they want to see young people challenging themselves to adapt to the modern climate. This could be developing skills like video editing, graphic design, coding alongside their artistic venture.
You can apply to develop a project that you can run and deliver mostly yourself. Here are some examples of ideas:
- A creative music project: a Single, EP or contribution towards an album campaign. The music can be already made or in the process of being created. Most of the applications we receive are for EP's. They aren't against you doing them, but they want to see creative approaches into how you make, release, and promote them. Giving a clear explanation of why you are choosing the format you work in is also helpful, it may relate to where you are in your journey, or a personal creative challenge. Telling them about what you have released so far will help them understand why you are taking the next steps you are.
- A music-based business: starting a record label or music platform.
- A platform that supports underrepresented voices and perspectives: supporting leaders that build communities and help facilitate others in pursuing their creative goals.
- An event or series of events showcasing other emerging artists: they want to support new promoters and help new artists gain experience performing on stage.
As well as funding time for you to pursue your idea, they can also cover costs linked to:
- Career development - Training, Mentoring and Networking.
- Audience development – Marketing and Promotion.
- Equipment and Software.
- Business development – Administration costs such as Insurance and fees.
All projects need to be released within a year of being awarded the funds, and ideas that aren’t accessible to the general public cannot be funded. For example, it couldn’t fund a training course with no project outcome.
Who is the fund for
People working towards a career in the music industries, but lack key contacts, resources, and insights. They might be:
- Musicians, Producers, Engineers, DJs, MCs, Rappers, Songwriters.
- Managers, Promoters, A&Rs, Agents.
- Activists and campaigners who are transforming the music industries.
In their funding decisions, they will prioritise:
- People who do not have the financial means to invest in themselves to get their ideas started.
- People that are too early stage to be funded by larger grant programmes like Arts Council England and PRS Foundation.
- Those who might be discriminated against, for reasons that could include Gender, Race, Disability, location, or other characteristics.
- People who are creative, entrepreneurial and are multi-disciplinary - even if they don’t recognise themselves as such.
Learn more about the NextGen Fund.
Eligible expenditure
- Time to Create – They have allocated every applicant at least £500 for you to spend as you see fit during the duration of your project. You can apply for more under this section. This can be for living expenses, childcare, or any personal items needed to help you deliver your work. See it as a wage for creating and delivering.
- Project Expenses - Any costs associated with producing the work. For example:
- Recording and Production costs - Studio, Mixing and Mastering. They would suggest not overspending in areas such as Mixing and Mastering and looking for affordable quotes. If you can budget around £100 per track, that will be good value for the stage you are at today.
- Session Musician Fees at the Musicians Union rate
- Manufacturing
- Equipment - £500 maximum - Hardware and software necessary to completing the project to a high standard, that will be also an asset to you with future projects.
- Training - £200 maximum - Affordable training that will help you develop your skills needed to deliver the project and or level up your skill set for future employment potential. For example, a conference ticket or online course.
- Marketing – £500 maximum - They want to see creative marketing spends, not just money allocated to online marketing, or social media ads. Provide as much detail as possible here, as this is where they want to hear about your creativity towards building an audience. Paying for press is optional, but you shouldn't be above creating your own creative marketing plan. The more of the project you can deliver yourself, even if it's something you are doing for the first time, the stronger your application will be.
- Travel - £200 maximum - They encourage remote work and online collaboration where possible. They also cannot fund any travel outside of the UK.
- Other - List any other spending for your activity that is not included elsewhere that is related to your project. You can include an amount for unexpected costs – this is known as “contingency”.
- ·Access
- If you identify as d/Deaf, Disabled or Neurodivergent, they can provide extra funding to help you make your application and to run your project:
- Personal Access Budget If you have any personal access costs you need to run your project, you can include these on top of the £3000 maximum grant. There is an option in the application form to select if you require access costs to fulfil your project. This might include costs for British Sign Language interpreters, personal assistants, support workers or other access costs. If you want to apply for a personal access budget, and would like to discuss your requirements before submitting an application please get in touch with Youth Music: creatives@youthmusic.org.uk
- Support with making your application. You can also apply for support with the costs of making an application via Youth Music’s Access Fund. This is a separate process so don’t include costs related to planning and submitting your application within your budget.
- Access to Work Some d/Deaf, Disabled or Neurodivergent applicants or those with health conditions may be entitled to get money for personal support and equipment from the Government’s Access to Work scheme. More info on this can be found here: https://disabilityarts.online/atw/
Access Fund - Support with making your application
If you identify as Disabled and need further support to make an application to Youth Music, you can apply to their Access Fund. This provides funding to cover any additional access costs that might be required for you to make an application to one of Youth Music’s main grant funds.
Youth Music Trailblazer Fund
Grants of between £2,000 and £30,000 for organisationsin England that want to support children and young people facing barriers to make, learn and earn in music, through innovative projects that test, trial, or break the status quo.
Youth Music Catalyser Fund
Grants of between £30,001 and £300,000 for established organisations in England that want to support children and young people facing barriers to make, learn and earn in music through sustaining or scaling up their work or changing sector practice.