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Youth Music Initiative Funding

Creative Scotland administers the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative (YMI) programme which aims to:

  • Create access to high-quality music-making opportunities for children and young people, particularly for those that would not normally have the chance to participate
  • Enable children and young people to achieve their potential in or through music making
  • Support the development of the youth music sector for the benefit of children and young people

You can learn more about the Youth Music Initiative, read our impact reports and evaluations and find out about our latest work over on the main YMI programme page.

For guidance on completing YMI Interim and End of Project Forms please visit the relevant fund pages.

Contents

Apply for Funding

There will be four routes to apply for funding for youth music projects in 2023/24. For guidance on eligibility, criteria and applying to these funds, please visit relevant fund pages.

School Based Music Making (Formula Fund)

This fund aims to fulfil the YMI Scottish Government commitment that every school pupil in Scotland should be offered a year of free music tuition by the time they leave primary school. This is a targeted fund open for applications from Scotland’s 32 Local Authorities and Jordanhill School.

Access to Music Making

The purpose of the Access to Music Making fund is to create access to high-quality music making opportunities for children and young people.

Strengthening Youth Music

To support individuals, organisations and networks who work outwith school settings to undertake training and continuing professional development that will strengthen youth music in Scotland for the benefit of children and young people.

YMI CPD and Training Fund

To support individuals, organisations and networks who work outwith school settings to undertake training and continuing professional development that will strengthen youth music in Scotland for the benefit of children and young people.

Further advice and information

If you would like more information about Youth Music Initiative, get in touch with a member of the YMI team.

If you require support, further information or have any general enquiries about the application process please contact our Enquiries Service. Our Enquiries Service will be able to advise you or will put you in contact with one of our officers.

You can also visit the Creative Scotland contact page for information on how to get in touch via our website or social media.

If you are a D/deaf BSL user, you can access our services with the Contact Scotland-BSL programme. Visit the Contact Scotland BSL website for more information.

Stay up to date

Stay up to date with the programme by signing up to the YMI newsletter. You can also keep up to date with all things YMI by following the hashtag #YMIScotland and follow us at @CreativeScots.

Latest Stories from YMI

Spotlight - Music Broth

This month we hear from Music Broth, whose ethos is making music playing, learning and enjoyment accessible to all and who are 1 of the 44 projects being supported by Creative Scotland with backing from the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative (YMI).

Published: 08 Feb 2022

Spotlight - Youth Music and the Environment

The youth music community is truly inspiring in their work surrounding the environment. This month, we bring to you a round-up of activities and resources from across the sector related to the climate crisis, climate justice, and COP26.

Published: 09 Nov 2021

Spotlight - Youth Music

For over 20 years, UK Charity Youth Music has been funding music making projects for young people across England, supporting 0 - 25 year olds to make, learn, and earn through music.

Published: 06 Oct 2021

Spotlight - Back to School

The YMI Formula Fund sees funding distributed directly to all local authorities in Scotland to support in-school delivery of music making activities. As well as having a focus on providing pupils with their first experiences music making, the fund also supports music making in non-mainstream settings, such as special schools, and with groups of young (...)

Published: 07 Sep 2021

Spotlight - Glittery Bums and Glasgow sun: a blog from Shobhita at Ensemble

A spotlight on Ensemble, the award-winning Glasgow based project funded by Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative and run by Wheatley Care. The project has launched a brand new music video for the fourth single ‘Glittery Bums (feat. The Sistas, Clare McBrien, Jonnie Common)’ from their debut album ‘No Place Like It’. (...)

Published: 10 Aug 2021
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