Following the findings of an independent report into accessibility in the music industry, Youth Music have announced a two million pound fund aimed at improving its diversity. Named ‘A Blueprint For The Future’, the report amassed data from 1,300 aged 18-25 who were aiming to begin a career in the music industry. An accompanying statement summarising its findings was a particularly damning indictment of the status quo, simultaneously commending the “tenacity, determination, and entrepreneurial spirit” of the interviewees whilst branding current routes from education into music employment as “not fit for purpose”.

THREAD (1/3): Thousands of young people are being driven out of the music industry, or forced to go it alone outside the system… #BlueprintForTheFuture pic.twitter.com/TKTCvnewHi

— Youth Music (@youthmusic) July 7, 2020

The incubator fund will include grants made available to music industry employers that range from £5,000 to £30,000 designed to help the careers of people aged 18-25, particularly those from demographics the report found to be “underrepresented”. Of all the factors that were found to stifle burgeoning careers in the industry, “social class was found above all else to influence young people’s chances of earning money through music”, the report reads, regardless of whether or not participants had studied music at any academic level.  Given that as much as two thirds answered that they would be “very likely or likely” to pursue an alternate career if they struggled to earn a living from the industry within five years, it is perhaps unsurprising that economic stability played the biggest role in hindering accessibility. Moreover, those from lower income backgrounds were more than twice as likely to be unaware of funding schemes available to support them than their those from higher income backgrounds.  

Our #BlueprintForTheFuture report highlights inequalities in the music industry.

Find out how your organisation can drive change alongside 18-25s: https://t.co/Sml3mVFsVg pic.twitter.com/G3QAZ3TqcO

— Youth Music (@youthmusic) July 8, 2020

While a lack of industry connections proved to be a barrier for young adults across the board, women and BAME interviewees felt these disparities more keenly. Women were more than twice as likely (13% vs 6%) to say they hadn’t had access to any support in order to help them achieve a career in the music industries, and those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds reported less access to unpaid internships than their white counterparts (12% vs 19%).

The application deadline for Phase 1 of the fund is 5pm on Friday the 14th of August, followed by a second phase of funding in February 2021. You can find links to read and download the freely accessible report here.