Developing a sustainable music industry in the North East

Annually, our creative development programmes support over 750 music professionals.

Through our programmes and partnerships, we aim to be at the core of the North East music sector and be the beacon for cutting edge music in all genre forms.

If you’re a school leaver exploring the possibility of a career as a live events promoter, or an emerging musician looking to release your first track, we are here for you. Our creative development programmes, including Create: Live, Release Yourself and First Notes, have all been designed with you in mind, so you can get the most value and benefit as possible from your time with us.

Explore our projects below!

Create: Live is our programme training young people from across the North to become the next generation of live music promoters

Create:Live allows our cohort to learn new skills, form peer networks, and access mentoring accumulating in putting on a live show at a venue in the North

Apply for Create Live Here

First Notes is our programme for 18-25 year old early career musicians looking to take their first steps into professionalising their original music.

Our artists are be supported through the process of releasing a piece of original music, while developing their performance skills with live music showcases.  This includes recording, mixing, and mastering your track working with professional producers

Apply for First Notes here

Generator Live is our huge new music festival – the only in the region to celebrate and exclusively showcase emerging North East talent.

Our festival provides a platform for the best new music talent in the North East both on and off the stage.

Tickets on sale now! 

Create:Release is our programme guiding artists through a process of releasing music through the right channels with a promotion strategy, and ensuring that all the correct registrations are in place so you can make money.

Work directly with industry titans Chelsea Woods, Andrew Archer and Mick Paterson as mentors on your campaign, ensuring you gain the most from your release.

Read more here

North East by South West is a brand-new touring initiative for emerging artists looking to take their music out on the road. This programme is designed to support people hailing from two of the UK’s most exciting music regions renowned for nurturing underground talent – the North East and the South West.  

North East by South West creates a financially risk-free environment for artists to connect with the industry outside of their own region, to grow their networks, professionalise their craft, and showcase their music in front of likeminded audiences in Newcastle, Bristol and now Leeds! 

Find out more about NExSW here

Our New Programme Provides Artists and Industry Professionals the Skills to Monetise Music Through Publishing, Library and Sync with Wipe Out Publishing

Apply for our 20 week bootcamp programme or sign up to our 5 free workshops below

Read more about the programme here

Balance Collective is our community of Women, Trans and Non-Binary people, learning the entry level skills to become DJs and producers.

The collective will seek to support new talent, and re-distribute power within the industry.

Read More and Apply Here

Trans_Formation: Power in Community with I. JORDAN is our week long residency in partnership with Brighter Sound providing
an intentional, dedicated space for trans and non-binary artists to create in a mutually supportive and nurturing environment.

Find out more about the programme here

Our year long Create:Collaborate programme will support emerging artists and aspiring producers in progressing to the next stage of their careers, pairing participants with an internationally renowned record producer and placing them into a professional recording studio.

Check out our 2021/2022 cohort here in partnership with Tees Music Alliance

North East Music Industry Meet Up, or NEMIMU, is a space for those working in and around the industry to come together, meet peers from across the region and discuss how we can work together to safeguard our artists, venues, freelancers and organisations.

Keep an eye on our events page for our next NEMIMU event in collaboration with Sage Gateshead

Our online TV series showcasing the best artists, bands and venues from across the region.

Big Screen TV was a 10 episode series staring musicians from across the North East created to bridge the gap during the pandemic until gigs could safely return

Watch our full series here

NE Hot Seat is our monthly online feature where we sit down to shine a light on the hottest new local acts from the North East

Listen to our NE hot seaters’ curated playlists of the best music coming out of the region here

Read our monthly interview spotlights here 

We host quarterly workshops, masterclasses and songwriting residences for artists to build the skills needed for a successful career in the North East music industry, partnering with industry leaders.

These have included songwriting masterclass with Bernard Butler, funding advice session with Youth Music and sound design workshops with OBODO studios

Keep an eye out on our events page for upcoming programmes