The Youth Music Trailblazer Fund offers grants of between £2,000 and £30,000 to UK constituted organisations to run projects for children and young people aged 25 and under to make, learn and earn in music.

The following funding is available:

o For organisations that are less than 12 months’ old, grants of between £2,000 and £15,000, or
o For organisations that are more than 12 months’ old, grants of between £2,000 and £30,000.

Projects must meet one or more of the following themes:

1. Early Years - for children aged 0–5 who face barriers to accessing music-making because of their circumstances or where they live. Youth Music encourages applications that promote:
o Access to quality, creative musical experiences that support children’s developmental needs.
o Shared learning between early years specialists, music specialists and parents, so that all become skilled, confident, and engaged in encouraging young children’s musicality, and
o Workforce diversification.

2. Disabled, d/Deaf and Neuro-divergent Young People - for young people aged 0–25 that:
o Ensure that they have equitable access to progress in music in a way that meets their needs and aspirations, and
o Provide routes for Disabled young people into the workforce.

3. Youth Justice System - for children and young people aged 0-25 who are, have been, or are at risk of being involved with the youth justice system. Youth Music encourages applications that:
o Are youth-led and offer culturally relevant and engaging music programmes that promote personal and social outcomes alongside musical development, and
o Work in partnership with other organisations and agencies to support safeguarding and progression and ensure that young people’s needs are met.

4. Young People Facing Barriers - for children and young people aged 0–25 who face barriers to music-making due to their characteristics or life circumstances, or because of where they live. Youth Music encourages application that:
o Are youth-led and offer culturally relevant and engaging music programmes that promote personal and social outcomes alongside musical development, and
o Work in partnership with other organisations and agencies to reach young people facing barriers and ensure that their needs are met.

5. Young Adults - for young adults aged 16-25 who want to take their music further, or for whom music can support wider personal and social outcomes. Youth Music encourages applications that:
o Improve young people’s confidence, skills, social networks, and emotional wellbeing as well as providing specific mentoring, networking, and industry opportunities, and
o Increase and enhance engagement with employment, education, and training.

6. Organisations and the Workforce - work that benefits the people and organisations who provide inclusive musicmaking opportunities for children and young people aged 0-25. Youth Music encourages applications that:
o Enable organisations to be innovative, resilient, and inclusive.
o Develop a diverse workforce that is networked, and skilled in inclusive practice with children and young people.

The Trailblazers’ Fund particularly wants to support applications from:

o Established organisations that want to test a new way of working or disrupt the status quo.
o Small organisations who support children and young people to make, learn or earn in music, and
o Those who work with children and young people facing barriers who want to trial a new music offer.

Further information, guidance and details about how to apply is available on the Youth Music website.

The deadline for applications to Round 6 of the programme for projects taking place in May-July 2024, is Friday 12th January 2024 at 5pm.

The deadline for applications to Round 7 for projects taking place in January-March 2025 is Friday 30th August 2024 at 5pm..