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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

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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