A new partnership helping to preserve vital creative spaces for young people.

What is the Partnership?

Spotify has teamed up with charity Youth Music to launch a fund aimed at supporting grassroots youth spaces across the UK. These spaces, integral to fostering creativity and collaboration between peers, often serve as vital hubs for young creatives to explore their talents and artistic expression.

This initiative will directly benefit 15 facilities, backing far-reaching projects such as “a band project for disabled young people; a youth-led studio in a remote coastal town; and a music project to promote inclusion for minoritised women and people or marginalised genders”. 

Dina Gabriel, Spotify’s Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Impact emphasised the importance of these spaces, “We recognize the incredible role that grassroots spaces play in shaping the future of music and creativity, especially for young people who rely on these spaces to express themselves and develop their craft”.

Why This Matters Now

Grassroots youth spaces in the UK have faced significant financial strain over the past decade, putting many under pressure and struggling to stay open. Rising costs like rent and bills, along with falling donations and funding, have left two-thirds of these facilities struggling to survive and a quarter facing potential closure.

Youth Music’s Sound of the Next Generation Report underscores the urgency of this crisis as the current system fails to deliver to the increase in demand for these services. The study, which surveyed over 2100 young people, revealed that while music a cornerstone of youth’s lives and wellbeing, access and cost remain significant barriers for many:

  • 84% of respondents said music makes their world better.
  • 71% felt music was a key part of their identity.
  • 68% stated they couldn’t imagine life without music.
  • 70% feel more connected to others through music.

Despite its transformative power, music education opportunities continue to dwindle, leaving grassroots as one of the few remaining avenues for young creatives to express themselves.

Lisa Nandy, UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport highlighted the sector’s importance, “The grassroots music sector is the beating heart of our world-famous music industry”.

“It is vital for emerging artists to hone their talents, as well as providing thousands of jobs and spaces for young people to explore their love of music. But for too long, the sector has been under increasing pressure, with many spaces at risk of closure.”

Lisa Sandy, UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

A Wider Commitment to Youth and Creativity

This partnership forms part of Spotify’s larger Creator Equity Fund Program, which supports youth well-being and protects youth spaces. Previous initiatives, such as with South-London based Mentivity, demonstrate Spotify’s ongoing commitment to empowering young people in challenging circumstances.

By investing in grassroots youth spaces, Spotify and Youth Music are preserving and protecting spaces that can help champion the next generation of creators. These efforts ensure that young people, regardless of their circumstances, can access opportunities to express themselves and connect with other creatives.