Youth Voice and Participation

Sound Connections leads the way in Youth Voice and Participation, both regionally and nationally. We also amplify young people's voices through advocacy and campaigning across the United Kingdom and beyond.

Central to our work is Wired4Music, our free network of young Londoners aged 16-25 who are passionate about music. Everything it does is decided by its members, who co-produce projects and events with support from Sound Connections’ staff and music industry mentors and professionals.

Since it was established in 2010 Wired4Music has produced dozens of live and online music events. In 2020 we recruited a team of curators to produce our first Youth Voice Week alongside the Sound Connections team. These events featured panel discussions with industry leaders, live performances from both established artists and upcoming acts alike.

There is an ongoing series of Wired4Music Residencies which have taken place at venues such as Battersea Arts Centre and our home, Rich Mix. Each year there are three residencies planned by Wired4Music members and young Producer who collaborate on new ideas and perform their music to the public.

From 2018, there has been opportunities each year for young people to apply for funding through our Generate programme. This is an opportunity for support towards a music project that will either develop their personal creative growth or the development of their own musical communities and networks. We’ve seen Generate help build amazing music projects ranging from short films, concerts and to starting up music management companies.

There are also a series of monthly drop-in sessions at our offices in Rich Mix as well as free career advice and guidance sessions for Wired4Music members. To find out more about these opportunities email Tee@sound-connections.org.uk

Our aim for Wired4Music is to ignite young people’s passion for music, raise their awareness of how the industry works and signpost them to new musical opportunities. We support them in everything from performance and production to events management and campaigning about musical and social issues. Wired4Music is a unique programme in London which empowers a new generation of overlooked young people to get heard and have a say in their music-making and future careers.

Milli-Rose

“Wired4Music has been a safe space for me to try new things and meet new people. I have felt able to try creative practices, trial and error, without any expectation. It has been such a supportive network, and as well as supporting my creative development, and providing guidance in a holistic way.”

Milli-Rose

Wired4Music member

Wired4Music

Find out more about Wired4Music, and how it can support young people (age 16-25)