Launchpad supports the music sector across Yorkshire, providing and signposting to advice, funding and opportunities - for artists, music businesses and music industry professionals.

Support, guidance and access to resources is available through our Advice Portal, regular workshops, panels and conferences. 

Once a year, we invite applications for targeted support for emerging artists, musicians, producers, bands, composers and music professionals in the Yorkshire region through access to individual industry advisors, live opportunities and funding for recordings, project delivery and personal development. We also partner with PRS Foundation for its regional PPL Momentum Accelerator funding, providing grants for artists from the region at a tipping point for national success. 

Launchpad Artists. Since 2019, nearly 130 artists have been supported by Launchpad, which works to reach, select and support a diverse representation across music genres and communities through advice, live opportunities and funding.

Launchpad Projects supports emerging music industry professionals who are building a career in the music industry, but NOT as a music creator or performer. This includes those wanting to work in music management, events, record labels, publishing and more. Since 2019 nearly 40 projects have been supported by Launchpad.

Launchpad Futures supports artists and emerging music industry professionals aged between 14 & 25, through a series of bespoke industry workshops. 

Emerging music industry professionals between 18 & 25 years old have the opportunity to engage with national music industry organisations, attend training workshops on professional development in the industry, build relationships with other early career music professionals and receive formal qualifications.

Launchpad+ acts to continue to support and empower artists in a sustainable way. It is for artists who have previously been supported through Launchpad, as well as for a wider range of artists outside the project who recognise the benefit and want to take advantage of this kind of developmental opportunity. Launchpad+ continues to provide one to one support, advice and guidance from our team, effectively manage recording and publishing rights where necessary and connect artists with other industry professionals who can offer further advice and support. All of this is aimed at allowing artists to proactively manage their own music and careers.

Launchpad is delivered by Music Local, and is supported by Youth Music, with public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England, PPL Giving, Bradford Council, Leeds City Council funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and PRS Foundation's Talent Development Partnership supported by PPL.

In West Yorkshire, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority leads the implementation of the UK Shared Propserity Fund as part of the Mayor’s ambition to make West Yorkshire the best place to work, learn and live.

Launchpad actively supports artists, projects and individuals that are female, of marginalised gender, Black, Asian and / or LBGTQ+.

Check out the Launchpad Connect podcast to find out more from the artists and projects we’ve supported.

Launchpad is a Fair Access Principles Partner.

Sound and Music’s Fair Access Principles are designed to act as a code of best practice for running successful, open and inclusive artist development programmes, competitions and awards for composers. (The definition of “composer” varies between organisations; Sound and Music mean “anyone creating their own music, in any style or genre”)

Launchpad is proud to sign the Keychange pledge in a global effort to achieve representation.

Supported by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union, Keychange is a global network and movement working towards a total restructure of the music industry in reaching full gender equality.