Emerging Music Professionals
Want to work in the music industry but don’t know where to start?
In a partnership with Big Dada and Ninja Tune, our Emerging Music Professionals collective offers free training and paid work experience to help you build a career in music.
This collective is intended for young people aged 18 – 24. We strongly encourage those from underrepresented communities to apply.
No previous experience of the music industry is required, just a love of music and a desire to understand the different roles and pathways into the recorded and live music industry.
The world is a diverse place and the music industry needs to represent that. Not only do we welcome people from all walks of life and backgrounds, we want to ensure you feel welcomed by the music industry and that it can be a profession for anybody.
This course has been arranged to work alongside those still in education as it falls in the autumn half-term, but let us know if you have any professional responsibilities that would clash with the dates of the course.
If you're not sure if this course is for you, please contact us to find out more and have a chat about it.
Eligibility
- You must be resident in Lambeth
- You must be aged 18 – 24
- You must be passionate about music
Application process
We ask you to answer a few questions about yourself, and tell us why you want to be part of the Emerging Music Professionals course, using the form at the bottom of this page.
If you want to apply but have difficulty managing Google Forms or the associated technology, or have specific access needs, please contact to discuss alternative application methods.
Timetable
The Emerging Music Professionals course takes place from October 2022 – May 2023. Below is the provisional schedule, though this is subject to change.
Foundation week:
Mon 24 – Fri 28 Oct, 10am – 5pm, and Sat 29 Oct, 10am – 2pm
A week of free training, creative workshops and guest lectures with music industry professionals.
Saturday sessions:
Sat 26 Nov 2022, 10am – 5pm
Sat 14 Jan 2023,10am – 5pm
Sat 4 Feb 2023, 10am – 5pm
Sat 4 Mar 2023, 10am – 5pm
Sat 22 Apr 2023, 10am – 5pm
Sat 6 May 2023, 10am – 5pm
These creative sessions feature guest lectures and mentoring to help you achieve the goal of releasing a record and putting on a live event at the Southbank Centre.
Travel and food bursaries are provided for these sessions and members of the collective are paid for the time they dedicate to the course.
Live performance date:
May 2023, exact date to be confirmed.
There may be some additional evening sessions and some field trips and gigs at Big Dada Records and other institutions. You may also be invited to additional networking and mentoring opportunities.
Cost and pay
The Emerging Music Professionals course is free to successful applicants.
All EMPs receive London Living Wage for creative work elements, travel and subsistence stipends for course days attended, as well as a producer's fee at the end of the course. Some discretionary funding is also available for successful applicants who can demonstrate financial need as a barrier to accessing this course.
Selection process
Applications are considered by a selection panel of managers from the Southbank Centre’s Arts & Wellbeing and Contemporary Music teams and Big Dada Recordings.