Youth Music: £1 million invested directly in aspiring UK artists

Youth Music has invested more than £1 million directly into aspiring artists across the UK through its NextGen Fund.

The charity launched the programme in 2021 to help young musicians aged 18 to 25 overcome some of the financial barriers involved in developing a career in music.

The fund provides grants of up to £3,000, supporting young artists with projects including music releases, videos, live events and other career development.

So far, funding has helped create 882 tracks, 147 EPs and albums, 176 music videos and 254 events. According to Youth Music, 54% of artists who have received funding have since secured jobs in music. 96% of recipients also reported that the fund helped them make things happen independently.

Sister Bliss also spoke about the importance of access to music in our recent interview, highlighting grassroots projects and organisations such as Youth Music that help young people get involved. For Sister Bliss, supporting access at an early stage is an important part of creating opportunities for the next generation of artists.

The NextGen Fundis one example of how direct funding can help young artists develop their music and take steps towards careers in the industry.

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Words: Eileen Rooney / Images: Youth Music