Innovate 2025-26 projects announced

Each year, Innovate offers up to £2,000 to individuals and grassroots organisations to test new ideas, spark creativity, and explore innovative approaches to music-making. Alongside financial support, recipients gain access to Sound Connections’ full programme of training and networking events, helping them build skills, confidence, and community throughout the year.

Innovate is designed especially for those with an annual turnover under £100k, providing a launchpad for emerging practitioners and small organisations to pilot new work and grow their impact. As part of our commitment to equity and access, we have continued to welcome applications from across England this year, with a particular focus on Levelling Up for Culture Places and Priority Places, as defined by Arts Council England.

After receiving a wide range of inspiring proposals, we’re excited to share the five projects selected for funding. Each one brings a unique perspective to music education and youth engagement.

Read on to discover more about this year’s Innovate projects.

Powered By the People – Motherland Mini’s Sing!
Amrit Sohal, Motherland Music CIC

This joyful, inclusive project brings together early years children and their parents/guardians – particularly those with English as an additional language – to form an intergenerational orchestra. Through shared musical exploration at St Michael’s C of E Primary School, families will celebrate songs in both English and their native languages, fostering cultural pride and mutual learning. With a focus on folk traditions from places like Punjab and Cameroon, the sessions blend movement, play, and song to create a safe, collaborative space where everyone is a musical expert. The project culminates in an informal performance and a rich documentation process to share its impact with the wider community.

The Lab | Nazmul Hoque, Through The Lab CIC

The Lab is a high-impact, two-week boot camp designed to launch the careers of young, underrepresented music artists aged 16–25. Hosted in a professional South London studio, the programme offers an end-to-end experience – from songwriting and production to branding and distribution. Participants will leave with a professionally released track, visual content, and a promotional strategy tailored to their unique sound. Covering genres like R&B, Rap, Grime, and Afrobeats, The Lab blends creative development, technical training, and industry insight, all supported by 1-to-1 mentoring. It’s a fast-tracked, holistic launchpad for emerging talent ready to break through.

Voxsling | Tara Franks, SoundsCreative Projects

Voxsling is a new project in the Hastings area for perinatal mothers to come together in collective song created by Tara Franks (Founder of SoundsCreative Projects). Drawing on her existing knowledge & expertise from her highly successful Tots Tunes projects (founded 2011), this new initiative focuses on bringing together pregnant & early stages postnatal mothers and enhancing their well-being & creativity through singing, gentle movement and breathwork, in order to impact positively on their newborns.
Working alongside local antenatal & postnatal practitioners, Tara will pilot 2 short group singing courses for a diverse group of mothers. Voxsling aims to support the growth of positive connections, bonding, language development, family creativity and strengthen parents ability to care for a new family member – all directly and positively impacting on the creative and nurtured growth of their 0-1s.