Youth Industry Network

This programme will target young creatives – both artists and those who want to work in other roles. Building on the success and learnings of the previous Youth Music-funded Emerging Artist Network,  the Local Youth Industry Network programme will run in three areas: Croydon in London, Darlington, and Wolverhampton.

To ensure the right people are able to benefit from this opportunity, specific eligibility criteria will be in place, such as having not studied music at higher education, not yet earning a sustainable income from music, identify as a girl, women or gender diverse, be aged between 16-25 (or up to 30).

We will support 18 young female and gender diverse creatives and professionals to develop a sustainable career through a variety of activities:

  • By creating local support networks for the participants, each group will be mentored by someone from the local scene who can guide them with contacts and feedback. These local networks will meet in person once every 2 months.
  • Alongside this, the participants will attend online training sessions and workshops once every 2 months.
  • Each participant will also have 2 x 30m mentoring sessions focussing on their own goals and plans, and navigating the wider industry, as well as additional drop-in sessions offered online.
  • Each participant will receive £400 which they can spend in any way that supports their career. This could include paying for workshops, conference tickets, web development, equipment to start their own business, or develop professional resources.

The idea is for participants to benefit in the following ways:

CAPACITY BUILDING
Equip participants with practical skills, knowledge, and confidence to navigate the
music industry and develop sustainable creative careers. This includes project
management abilities, creative practices, and understanding of funding
opportunities.

COMMUNITY BUILDING
Foster strong, supportive networks of peers and mentors within their local and
national creative scenes. These connections will create a sense of belonging,
encourage collaboration, and provide long-term support systems beyond the
programme.

FUNDING ACCESS
Provide participants with financial resources to support or develop their own
projects or competencies. This experience will also build their capacity to apply for
future funding and manage budgets effectively.

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The delivery team are:

Mimi Harmer - lead project manager

Award-winning project manager, cellist, and sound designer, Mimi was the Leeds Mentor in The F-List Youth Music project and has a portfolio career across music, education, tech and marketing. She is the founder of EPASA, a European youth-led organisation offering training and mobility opportunities for emerging creative professionals.

Vick Bain - governance, finance & safeguarding

Vick Bain has worked in music for nearly 30 years, with roles including CEO of the Ivors Academy and Past President of the Independent Society of Musicians. Vick is researching a PhD in women’s careers in music at Queen Mary University and is an Associate Lecturer at Falmouth University. She is the Founder of The F-List for Music.

Rejoice Abudar - social media & comms

Rejoice Abudar is a law graduate and aspiring lawyer with both LLB and LLM degrees. She is also an accomplished singer-songwriter and serves as an ambassador for The F-List for Music and is the F-List social media marketing and communications executive.

Alex Ampofo - Croydon lead

Alex is a Live Music Promoter at Live Nation and has worked on the shows and tours of some of the world’s leading talents. Alex is also Founder of Women Connect, an established female forward collective creating safer and inclusive spaces as well as equal opportunities for women, non-binary and gender fluid people within the creative industries.

Emily Jones - Wolverhampton lead

Emily performs as EchoJuliet and runs various projects and activities for a range of people. She has created an artist
development project for emerging DJs and electronic music producers. Emily also facilitates action learning groups for
musicians and music professionals, collaborating with clients such as Selextorhood, Cheltenham Festivals, and Rhythm Section.

Sarah Wilson - Darlington lead

Sarah is an event producer and community musician, delivering sessions for various community groups and collaborating with household names. She also co-founded a non-profit music organisation in Darlington called Tracks, hosting events, supporting local musicians, and championing female and non-binary artists.

We are incredibly grateful to the following organisers for their funding of this project:

Main project funder:

Additional industry sponsorship: