Amplify London

20 July 2020 - Press release

Amplify London, a partnership between the London Music Fund and YouTube Music, announces its first five funded grassroots music projects. 

 

• Amplify London announces five organisations which will receive a grant to deliver a grassroots music project for young people in London.
• An all-girl rock summer camp, music workshops for vulnerable young people and a six–week music production course are among the projects being funded. 
• Together, the five projects will reach up to 200 young people aged 11-21, across at least six London boroughs.
• Project themes include Windrush and combating hate, and young people will develop industry skills from song writing to sound engineering to producing a music video.
• Project deliverers will work alongside youth clubs, schools and professional artists and trainers.

The London Music Fund, whose patron is the Mayor of London, and YouTube Music are delighted to announce the five organisations that will receive funding from Amplify London in its pilot year. The new fund, launched in February, will support young musicians and artists through grassroots music projects across the capital.

Four of the five projects will be running this year as planned despite coronavirus, and the first project will be commencing this month.

In total, the five projects will directly reach up to 200 young people aged 11-21, across at least six boroughs.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "I'm delighted that The London Music Fund and YouTube Music are providing opportunities for young people across the capital. Music has the power to transform lives and these grants will inspire the next generation of musicians and support our vital grassroots organisations at a time when they need it the most." 

Chrissy Kinsella, CEO of the London Music Fund, said: "At a time when small, grassroots music organisations are facing unprecedented and difficult times, we are thrilled to be announcing this support. These five projects will reach young people who will be most adversely affected by the current crisis over the next 12 months. We are delighted to be able to support this significant work in our new partnership with YouTube Music and look forward to working with these projects." 

Christina Matteotti, Head of Music, EMEA Partnerships at Google, said: "Now more than ever, young people need to be given the support and opportunity to create and pursue their passions in the music industry. Everyone at YouTube Music is passionate about seeing the next generation of talent thrive, and we're delighted to work with the London Music Fund to support projects across the capital. YouTube Music is committed to doing whatever we can we can to help young creatives share their music with the world."

 

The five funded organisations and their projects are listed below.

Ambition Aspire Achieve, a youth club in Newham, will launch their new music studio with music technology and digital music making workshops for vulnerable young people aged 12-14.

Collage Voices, under the banner of Collage Arts in Haringey, will run Voice Against Hate, a project celebrating difference, championing respect and combating hate in schools, through a bespoke song-writing programme.

Girls Rock London will run a 6-day intensive Summer Camp in Hackney in 2021, enabling young women and trans youth to learn an instrument and form a band, trained by industry professionals.

Ruff Sqwad Arts Foundation will train young MCs, producers and sound engineers over a period of 6 weeks, culminating in a live local performance in Tower Hamlets, and a recorded EP and music video. 

School Ground Sounds, in collaboration with Brixton Wings youth centre, will run a three-week summer song-writing camp called Windrush Amplified (on the theme of Windrush) for vulnerable, local young people aged 11-16.

Ebenezer Ayerh of Ruff Sqwad Arts Foundation, who will start their project this month, said: "With youth clubs shut down for so long, young people are incredibly eager to do something creative and positive in the real world. This funding will enable us to work with some of East London's most talented young people wanting to pursue careers as mainstream recording artists and sound engineers, who may not otherwise be able to find such opportunities. We are really excited about this grant from Amplify London and look forward to working with everyone."

All five funded projects will receive professional advice and guidance on monitoring and evaluation as well as the funding. This will be provided by youth music charity Sound Connections, while YouTube Music will offer 1:1 training with the organisations and young people in the projects enabling them to use the platform and shine a light on their talents.  YouTube Music will also bring in some of their key partners and artists from the industry for masterclasses with the young people. 

A second round of funding will be open in Spring 2021.