​98% of young musicians in Northern England never had chance to perform live, study reveals

A new study conducted by Youth Music shows a huge disparity in opportunities for young musicians in the North and South of England.

The report, titled Sound of the Next Generation (SONG), showed that a huge 98% of young artists in the North of England have never had the opportunity to perform at local music venues.

Other findings revealed that young people in the North see themselves as “less musical” than they do in the South due to a lack of support, funding, and opportunities.

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Just 52% of young people in Northern England - which includes the North East, North West, Yorkshire, West Midlands, and East Midlands - said they see themselves as musical, as opposed to 62% of those in the South.

“Let’s be clear, this is not due to a lack of musical and creative talent in the North,” says CEO of Youth Music, Matt Griffiths. “Grassroots organisations are having to focus on short-term survival, restricting their ability to plan for the longer-term.”

Youth Music - a music charity for young people across the UK - is now calling on the new Labour government to increase funding for aspiring musicians through their Roots For Grassroots initiative.

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“The new government must pledge to invest in this vital infrastructure and workforce, providing safe, creative environments for young people across the country," said Griffiths.

The study was conducted by polling 2,100 young people across the country. As well as noting a lack of opportunities for those in the North, the study also found that young people are “feeling a disconnect when it comes to making music”.

It showed that almost a fifth (18%) of young people in Northern England are less likely to play an instrument than those in London, claiming to feel less supported in the music industry.

Read the full Sound of the Next Generation (SONG) report here.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter