Beatport teams up with Youth Music on new fund to support young people in music

Beatport has teamed up with Youth Music to launch a new fund supporting aspiring 18 to 25-year-old DJs and producers. 

The Beatport x Youth Music fund will provide £60,000 in funding to four grassroots organisations, giving access to "resources, mentorship and opportunities" for young people from underserved communities. 

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"Young people from underrepresented backgrounds are uniquely creative because they’ve had to be. Their potential is increasingly blocked by the current funding crisis in grassroots music, limiting access and opportunities," says Youth Music Music Partnerships manager Ife Okonkwo.

"Our partnership with Beatport will help address this, by providing more grassroots organisations with the funding and support needed to empower a more diverse and creative electronic music scene," they continue. 

Alongside a grant of £15,000 per organisation, recipients will also be provided with editorial and marketing support from Beatport to help their growth. 

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“Electronic music has always been about community, creativity, and breaking down barriers," says Beatport's Chief Community Officer Sophie Ilyas. 

"By partnering with Youth Music, we're not only investing in the future of the scene, but also making sure that young people, no matter where they come from, have a fair chance to be seen and heard.”

Applications for the Beatport x Youth Music fund are open until 5:PM on Friday, November 21. Organisations can apply here.

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on Twitter