Youth Music Initiative

In 2003, the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative (YMI) was launched to put music at the heart of children and young people’s lives and learning. It currently operates with an annual budget of £9 million and supports all musical genres, age groups and teaching methods.

On this page you can learn more about the programme by reading the annual plan as well as recent impact reports and evaluations.

Youth Music Initiative Funding

Supporting high quality music making opportunities for young people aged 0 – 25 yrs.

YMI Downloads

Discover more about youth music in Scotland and the YMI programme through our latest reports, evaluations and case studies.

YMI Newsletter Sign Up

Stay up to date with the programme by signing up to the YMI newsletter

Youth Music Initiative 20th Anniversary Celebration

In 2022 we're celebrating a wonderful 20 years of the Youth Music Initiative.

Latest Stories from YMI

Scottish Government emergency funds for Youth Arts

18 organisations and Local Authorities have received over £690K to help the recovery of Youth Arts provision across Scotland.

Published: 15 Dec 2020

Scottish Government emergency funds for Youth Arts

18 Youth Music and Youth Arts organisations have received a total of £1,053,000 to help the recovery of Youth Arts across Scotland and ensure creative opportunities for children and young people continue despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

Published: 10 Nov 2020

Spotlight on Scots Trad Music Awards’ Music Tutor of the Year Award

This month we hear from Simon Thoumire, Organiser and Founder of Hands Up For Trad, on MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards’ Music Tutor of the Year Award, sponsored by Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative.

Published: 02 Nov 2020

Spotlight on Heavy Sound

In this month's Youth Music Initiative spotlight, we hear from Heavy Sound, an Edinburgh and Lothians based social enterprise specialising in music making, hip hop and creative arts services.

Published: 06 Oct 2020

Launch of Youth Arts emergency funding

£3m has been allocated to support youth arts and ensure creative opportunities for children and young people continue to exist across Scotland despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Published: 17 Sep 2020