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The crisis is well-documented, with the main issues remaining: the years of funding cuts that have hit the arts sector hard, and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis that sent bills spiraling. Statistics published as part of the campaign paint a bleak picture, with 41% of grassroots youth music projects are now at risk, a 17% increase from 2024, and half of Youth Music-funded spaces have waiting lists due to a lack of resources.  

Another disturbing figure is that Youth Music can currently only fund 18% of all applications for help they receive, which leaves an estimated 260,000 young people without access to music spaces within their communities. The need for the urgent fundraising is paramount, with over a quarter of those lucky enough to receive funding from Youth Music still facing uncertainty over their future.

 

 

 

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In their own words, the ‘Rescue the Roots’ campaign is Youth Music prepared to seek a solution rather than just raising the alarm. As part of the effort, the organisation will also match every pound donated up to £1 million, taking the total fund up to £2 million. Youth Music estimates that this amount will provide support to over 18,000 young people. 

Jordan Stephens, one half of Rizzle Kicks, has lent his support to the cause, even getting “Rescue the Roots” tattooed on his arm. Stephens was awarded the Youth Music Awards Grassroots Hero in 2024, and as a rallying cry, said, “Rescue the Roots isn’t just a phrase, it’s a call to arms and a plea for fundraising support – it is the most important thing we can do to safeguard the next generation of musical talent. If we don’t, there will be no new artists, no fresh sounds, no future for UK music.”

As working class young people strive to succeed in music and the wider creative industries, it is essential to retain other routes for talent development.

That’s why we are backing @YouthMusic‘s #RescueTheRoots with @jordanfstephens
Watch the documentary: https://t.co/Rm0D3hBorh

— The FAC (@FeaturedArtists) March 11, 2025

 Back in November, Youth Music teamed up with music streaming platform Spotify to help save 15 youth spaces up and down the UK that were facing closure. On the partnership, Spotify’s Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Impact, Dina Gabriel said “By working with Youth Music, we can safeguard these spaces and the opportunities they create.”

The Music Venue Trust is another organisation fighting hard in this space, and has become one of the biggest voices for music venues. They were invited to Parliament to launch their 2024 report, with Kate Nash performing at the event, and shortly after being named as a patron of the trust. In December, MVT secured £60,000 through a partnership with Ticketmaster which supported the Pipeline Investment Fund.

The need for systemic change is obvious. Temporary measures can only paper over the cracks, but the ‘Rescue the Roots’ front-foot approach could be the catalyst for change that grassroots music spaces and venues so desperately need.

The fund, which is part of Spotify’s ‘Creator Equity Fund Program’, comes at a critical time. According to Youth Music’s recent ‘Sound of the Next Generation Report’, two-thirds of grassroots music spaces are focused on short-term survival, while a quarter face potential closure. Rising costs, dwindling funding, and increased demand for services have compounded the challenges for these spaces, which are crucial for young people’s mental health and artistic growth.

“The grassroots music sector is the beating heart of our world-famous music industry.” We’re teaming up with @YouthMusic to make sure it stays that way—here’s how. https://t.co/SNENwSiApH

— Spotify News (@SpotifyNews) November 27, 2024

Spotify’s funding will support diverse projects, such as a youth-led studio in a coastal town and a music initiative for minoritised women and marginalised genders. Dina Gabriel, Spotify’s Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Impact, emphasised the importance of these spaces in nurturing future talent, stating: “By working with Youth Music, we can safeguard these spaces and the opportunities they create.”  

Grassroots music venues are not just performance spaces—they are cultural and community cornerstones, employing locals and providing a ‘third place’ for people. Yet, financial instability has led to widespread closures, with 125 venues closing their doors in 2023. Rising rents and utility bills have forced many operators to consider drastic measures, threatening the foundation of the UK’s live music industry.

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Government interventions, such as a recently proposed voluntary £1 ticket levy on arena shows, aim to redistribute funds to struggling grassroots venues. Overseen by a sector-linked charity, the levy’s effectiveness will be reviewed after 12 months, with potential to become mandatory.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy highlighted the vital role of such spaces: “The grassroots music sector is the beating heart of our world-famous music industry. It is vital for emerging artists to hone their talents, as well as providing thousands of jobs and spaces for young people to explore their love of music.” She praised the Spotify-Youth Music partnership as a step toward protecting the talent pipeline.

Elsewhere, initiatives in Merseyside and the West Midlands are exploring long-term solutions. £6.75m of investment in Liverpool City Region’s MusicFutures will fund training, technology integration, and sustainability projects, in a push to ensure the sector will no longer need to rely on outside support.

While the Spotify and Youth Music fund addresses immediate needs, questions remain about the long-term sustainability of grassroots spaces. Charity leaders and government officials agree that systemic change is needed to ensure these hubs don’t rely solely on short-term funding.

Bombay’s brand new cover arrives in the wake of their upcoming EP, also entitled Two Lives. Consisting of tracks Is It Real, Racing Stripes and Let You Go, their new EP features acoustic versions of these previously released singles from Everything Has Gone Wrong, their fifth studio album that arrived in January of this year. 

With tinges of country blues, Bombay’s Two Lives is a refreshing revision of the already beautiful song. Sonically stripped back, an understated acoustic guitar guides the calming cover to a chorus rife with celestial harmonies. Conjuring a vintage feel, Steadman’s emotive guitar pays homage to Raitt’s original and echoes other 1970’s classics, particularly Stevie Nicks monumental track, Landslide. Tranquil and soothing, Bombay’s Two Lives is a must-hear for anybody who loves the acoustic guitar. 

The diverse reimaginings of the Two Lives EP convey Bombay’s dualism as artists, their aptitude for turning songs on their head to offer a fresh new spin remains abundantly clear. When speaking on Two Lives, frontman Jack Steadman maintained that “We felt it was a fitting title for our EP where we showcase the two lives of our songs, one that is layered and one stripped back.”

Yesterday, (July 10th) Bombay Bicycle Club posted their cover to their official Instagram page. Sharing with their 86,000 followers a short clip from the music video, the post featured origami-like animations that were perfectly synchronised with Steadman’s soft vocals.

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Here’s the 3rd track from our EP, a cover of the Bonnie Raitt song Two Lives. My dad introduced me to this beautiful song on one of our long car journeys and I instantly fell in love with the harmonies. We also felt it was a fitting title for our EP where we showcase the two lives of our songs, one that is layered and one stripped back. The song is available everywhere including on our website as part of the EP as a pay-what-you-want download with proceeds going to the following organisations: @chinekeorchestra (https://www.chineke.org/) creates opportunities for established Black and minority ethnic musicians, nurtures new talent by providing role models, and celebrates diversity in classical music. @youthmusic_charity (https://www.youthmusic.org.uk/) invests in music programs for young people in deprived areas, building confidence, resilience and self-esteem. jack x . . Links in bio

A post shared by Bombay Bicycle Club (@bombayinsta) on Jul 10, 2020 at 5:08am PDT

The London-formed band captioned the post with some context behind their latest release. Steadman wrote that “My dad introduced me to this beautiful song on one of our long car journeys and I instantly fell in love with the harmonies.” Obtaining over 8,000 views and likes, the post was met with a jovial reception from the band’s dedicated fanbase. 

Geared to drop on the 24th July, sales for Two Lives will go by a pay-what-you-want initiative and will be available from the band’s official website. Sales for the upcoming EP will be split directly between two organisations, Chineke! And Youth Music. 

Established in 2015, Chineke! Is a British classical orchestra that provides opportunities for Black and Minority ethnic musicians in the industry. Funded by the National Lottery, Youth Music is a National charity specialising in music-making programmes for underprivileged young people. Donations for Chineke! And Youth Music can be made here.

Following a few years of creative hiatus, Bombay Bicycle Club reunited this year and delighted the music community with their comeback record, Everything Has Gone Wrong.  The band was all set for a European tour, which has now been rescheduled due to the Coronavirus crisis. Bombay Bicycle Club released the following statement regarding the postponement of their tour: “We’re devastated to have to reschedule our upcoming European tour date.” 

Two Lives is out now.

THREAD (1/3): Thousands of young people are being driven out of the music industry, or forced to go it alone outside the system… #BlueprintForTheFuture pic.twitter.com/TKTCvnewHi

— Youth Music (@youthmusic) July 7, 2020

The incubator fund will include grants made available to music industry employers that range from £5,000 to £30,000 designed to help the careers of people aged 18-25, particularly those from demographics the report found to be “underrepresented”. Of all the factors that were found to stifle burgeoning careers in the industry, “social class was found above all else to influence young people’s chances of earning money through music”, the report reads, regardless of whether or not participants had studied music at any academic level.  Given that as much as two thirds answered that they would be “very likely or likely” to pursue an alternate career if they struggled to earn a living from the industry within five years, it is perhaps unsurprising that economic stability played the biggest role in hindering accessibility. Moreover, those from lower income backgrounds were more than twice as likely to be unaware of funding schemes available to support them than their those from higher income backgrounds.  

Our #BlueprintForTheFuture report highlights inequalities in the music industry.

Find out how your organisation can drive change alongside 18-25s: https://t.co/Sml3mVFsVg pic.twitter.com/G3QAZ3TqcO

— Youth Music (@youthmusic) July 8, 2020

While a lack of industry connections proved to be a barrier for young adults across the board, women and BAME interviewees felt these disparities more keenly. Women were more than twice as likely (13% vs 6%) to say they hadn’t had access to any support in order to help them achieve a career in the music industries, and those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds reported less access to unpaid internships than their white counterparts (12% vs 19%).

The application deadline for Phase 1 of the fund is 5pm on Friday the 14th of August, followed by a second phase of funding in February 2021. You can find links to read and download the freely accessible report here.