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Opportunities to Grow: Funding, Training and Mentoring from Sound Connections

We’re pleased to announce a range of opportunities including our Activate and Innovate community funds, Trainee Programme and mentoring to support professionals and organisations enhance your practice, explore new ideas and support your development. Applications are now open for 2026-27!

Activate – funding for Music Hubs to develop their early years work

Innovate – funding for practitioners and grassroots organisations

Trainee Programme – supporting young adults into paid work

MEF Series – supporting professional development

Activate

Activate is our investment programme for Music Hub partnerships to develop or deliver action-focussed work with their young people.

This year we are looking to support work that has a focus on early years music-making in London only, so that we can test out partnering our Emerging Music Leader Scheme trainees with Activate activity.

We have a total of £6,000 to invest via one of two pathways:

3 x grants of £2,000 for 3 x individual Music Service/Hub to each deliver a project in 1 x London borough
1 x grant of £6,000 for 1 x Music Hub partnership to deliver a project in a minimum of 3 x London boroughs.

All grantees will also have access to:

Termly mentoring sessions with a Sound Connections team member specialising in youth voice and participation and/or Early Years
Free places on all Sound Connections’ training and networking events in the 26-27 academic year, including our Early Years and Youth Voice and Participation training and networking events
A supported process throughout the lifespan of the investment cycle.

Deadline: Monday 29 June 2026, 9am

Find out more here.

Innovate

Are you a creative innovator or trail‑blazing organisation working with children and young people? Do you have a spark of an idea and need funding and support to test it? Then Innovate is for you.

Innovate is Sound Connections’ small‑grants programme, offering four grants of £2,000 to individuals and grassroots organisations to pilot new music ideas with children and young people aged 0–25.

The programme is designed to support early‑stage, exploratory projects that test new approaches, reach new audiences or develop your practice. We’re particularly interested in projects that centre inclusion, participation and learning.

What the programme offers

Successful applicants will receive:

Up to £2,000 to support a new or innovative music project

Support and mentoring from Sound Connections staff and associates

Free access to Sound Connections training and networking events throughout the programme.

Projects should focus on learning and reflection as well as delivery. Grantees will be asked to share a short case study at the end of the project so learning can be shared across the sector. Find out more about some of the projects we’ve previously supported here.

Find out more here.

Trainee Programme

The Trainee Programme is a year‑long programme for Wired4Music alumni (ages 24–30), supporting their progression from programme participants to emerging practitioners.

Our Trainee Programme is a paid, year‑long development opportunity for Wired4Music alumni who are taking their next steps as emerging professionals.

The Trainee Programme was born in 2023, out of a desire to retain the exceptional talent and insight of young people within our Wired4Music community, and to bridge the gap for alumni aged 24-30, enabling them to return and contribute to our work and programmes as emerging practitioners in the music education and cultural sector.

The year-long programme, which evolves each year based on the needs of the trainees and the sector more widely, is designed to support young people aged 24-30 to develop practical skills, confidence and experience, while contributing meaningfully to Sound Connections’ work.

Learn more here.

What the programme offers:

Trainees work closely with the Sound Connections team over a 12‑month period, gaining paid, hands‑on experience while developing their own professional pathway.

Paid work, training and skills development training in project management, facilitation, research and evaluation, marketing and communications, finances and fundraising

Practical, real‑world experience co‑producing our youth voice training and live events such as Wired Up and our annual Inclusive Practice in Action conference, as well as designing, researching and delivering a self‑led project

Mentoring and tailored support -from a dedicated member of the Sound Connections team and ongoing support shaped around individual ambitions and next steps

Progression beyond the programme – Following a six-month training period, Trainees spend a further six months supporting Sound Connections’ work as paid freelancers, joining our wider pool of Associates and continuing to build practical experience in the sector

Deadline: Monday 22 June 2026, 9am

Find out more here.

Music Education Futures Series

Our new three-part series supports early‑career and freelance music practitioners to better understand the UK music education landscape, build sustainable working practices, and develop high-quality, fundable music education projects. You are welcome to join whichever sessions are most useful to them, whether that’s just 1 or 2 or all 3.

We will be delivering the series both in person and online, and there will be the option to take part in facilitated peer mentoring sessions, creating ongoing opportunities for reflection, connection and shared problem-solving beyond the sessions.

Session summary:

Part 1: Understanding the UK Music Education Ecosystem and Careers

This opening session introduces the structure, opportunities and realities of working within the music education sector.

In person session: 10.30am – 1.30pm, Wednesday 17 June 2026, Rich Mix, London

Online session: 10am – 12pm, Thursday 2 July 2026, online via Zoom

Part 2: Being a Freelance Practitioner – Sustainability and Wellbeing

This second session focusses on the practical, financial and emotional realities of working as a freelance practitioner – with sustainability at its core.

In person session: 10.30am – 1.30pm, Wednesday 16 September 2026, Rich Mix, London

Online session: 10am – 12pm, Thursday 1 October 2026 online via Zoom

Part 3: Developing, Funding and Evaluating Music Projects

The final session supports practitioners to move from ideas to delivery – equipping participants with the skills to design, fund and evaluate impactful music education projects.