By Hayley Sigrist
The Big Music Project has been awarded £4 million in additional funding from the Big Lottery Fund.
The grant awarded will help contribute to the continuation of the programme into 2018 and should bring attention to less advantaged young people, provide an increase in career opportunities and expand the project into more UK cities.
The funding is set to support the construction of 80 new youth hubs, which provide music centred learning opportunities for 14-18 year olds, bringing the new total of hubs to 110.
The organisation, which was established in 2014 in partnership with Global and UK Youth, provides skills for young people seeking to make it into a career in the music industry, as well as sharing information online and through events.
Global brands such as Capital and Classic FM support the programme, with Capital presenter Ant Payne saying: “It can be difficult to know where to start when looking to get into the industry. The Big Music Project is providing young people with incredible opportunities to get work experience and showcase their talent.
"Sometimes it’s just a case of getting your foot in the door somewhere and that’s exactly what this project is doing for young people – giving them the confidence and networking potential to persue their passion.”
Capital Xtra's Music Potential, a programme that focuses on 18-25 year olds out of education, is joining forces with the project. Young project champions will also be appointed at each location to deliver a music project for young people in their area. The programme will continue to deliver paid internships and work experience around the UK, and will soon feature series of 45-minute video masterclasses led by music or creative professionals on their online and social media pages.
