Join Our Emerging Artists Programme 2024-2025
Posted: 22nd July 2024
Become a part of the next generation of talented artists making their mark on the music industry.
We’re looking for six Emerging Artists between the ages of 18-25 years* to join a FREE, year-long music development programme worth over £1,200!
This is the fifth year of our flagship programme, which is designed to help aspiring young artists based in East Kent develop their music careers with professionals. Selected participants will receive comprehensive guidance and invaluable insights into the music industry, covering essential topics such as promotion strategies, rights, management, recording techniques, and live performance, and gain access to East Kent’s vibrant community of like-minded young musicians, seasoned industry professionals and experts, and iconic local music venues.
The programme has already helped 29 young artists progress and develop their skills and learn new attributes to help them thrive as musicians and have a broader understanding of the industry. There have been many successful gigs that the young people have planned, booked and performed during the programme’s duration.
Over the course of a year, you will:
Receive comprehensive guidance and invaluable insights into the music industry, covering essential topics such as promotion strategies, rights, management, recording techniques, and live performances.
Have access to East Kent’s vibrant community of like-minded young musicians, seasoned industry professionals and experts, and iconic local music venues.
Receive personalised guidance from an expert industry mentor, chosen to match your specific skills and passions, to support your artistic journey.
Receive a small pot of individual funding to create your own unique music project, such as recording an EP, organising an event, or creating a captivating music video.
Join the team behind our youth record label Wantsum Music. This hands-on experience will allow you to delve into the intricacies of running a record label while fostering your artistic growth.
Past participants of The Emerging Artist Programme have also helped pioneer our youth-led Slice of Pie podcast which has been a huge success and helped to raise the voice of young people on important topics like poverty, barriers women face in the music industry and the future of Pie.
What we ask of you:
COMMITMENT – if you are selected to join the programme you must turn up on time, be dependable and reliable at events, and commit to sharing your journey and the work of Wantsum Music? with your followers.
MOTIVATION – we want you to bring your passion, creativity and ambition to the programme, but you will also need to listen, take advice from our leaders and mentors on board, and be willing to learn and grow.
ADVOCACY – you will be a part of the Pie Factory Music family – shout loud and be proud about being an Emerging Artist, and be an inspiring ambassador for our young people and our organisation.
How to apply:
If you are a performer, producer or songwriter, send us a short introduction to you including your name, age, location, artist name, genre of music, and what you are hoping to get out of the programme, e.g. looking for management, or help in booking gigs, or developing your skills in recording. Please include a recording of your music, or point us to a video online where we can see/hear you.
If you are interested in joining, not as an artist, but to explore a career in the music industry, send us a short introduction to you including your name, age, location, area of the industry you are interested in (e.g. music journalism, management, booking acts, working for a record label). Please include a link to any material you have produced which will show us what you are interested in pursuing (e.g. a review of a band, a description of an event you have put on, any references from venues / sound engineer / artists you have worked with).
This can be either as a 200 word email, or a 2 minute long video of yourself talking.
Send your application to adam@piefactorymusic.com.
The deadline for applications is 5pm 16th August 2023.
The first Emerging Artists session will be on Wednesday 18th September 7-9pm, so please let us know in your application if you can make this date. The sessions will run weekly every Wednesday.
*applications of 16+ years may be considered.
“Emerging Artists has been an incredible opportunity. It’s given me a platform, boosted my confidence, got me back to performing and connected me with the music community. I’m inspired by my peers every day. To be around like-minded people is so important.”
Connor Beerling, Emerging Artist 2020-21
Emerging Artist alumni, Elijah says:
“I didn’t just gain confidence and make music at Pie Factory Music, they taught me life skills, like how to collaborate with people, networking skills, how to set up my own gigs and how to approach others in the industry. Zoë was a big inspiration, she showed me how to market myself, and be professional but most of all she helped shape who I am today. I’ve since recorded my first album, performed at gigs in Kent and London, and Pie Factory Music introduced me to another music hub that has offered me funding for a new project.”
This programme is generously funded by Youth Music.
