About Inspiring Artists
Inspiring Artists is a new creative leadership development programme designed to empower musicians and music creators who are exploring or who have already started working in community and informal educational spaces. It gives autonomy to artists to gain experience and create and test models of music participation and engagement which suit their own artistic practice in a particular setting. There are 2 strands to the programme – a weekend for 12 artists and a longer, in depth Fellowships programme for 3 artists.
Inspiring Artists Weekend
A free weekend development programme where artists are introduced to participatory and inclusive practice with guidance from experienced professionals and peers.
This programme has space for 12 people and is suitable for established musicians and music creators who are relatively new to working in community and education spaces and who are looking to branch out and start gaining more experience. Participants will be able to demonstrate that they have some experience delivering participatory work and will bring an idea for a new project that they are ready to explore and build on. We will provide a holistic overview of what you need to think about for different types of setting, and provide space and support to explore and develop your ideas with your peers. We will ask you on the application form what skills or information you feel would benefit you and will build these requests into the course where possible.
Our first weekend will take place on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th July 2026 in Edinburgh. Participants will be supported to attend at no cost through our wrap-around funding and access support: we can offer a £200 bursary for taking part, will provide lunch and refreshments, and can cover travel and accommodation where required. If you are selected, we will ask you what support you might need including access and expenses.
How do I apply for the weekend?
The deadline for applications for the 2026 weekend has now passed.
Fellowships
The Fellowships programme invites 3 artists who have some experience in community or informal educational spaces to take a deep dive into their practice, and to identify and develop a project in a setting local to them with a host mentor or mentor organisation. Artists will be paid and holistically supported to plan, develop, deliver and evaluate their project idea over a period of 3 months. They will share their work and learnings at our 2027 weekend to inspire others. For a period of up to 2 years, participants will receive ongoing mentoring and are supported with grants and training. This part of the programme will launch later in 2026.
Why have we created Inspiring Artists?
We are looking to innovate and discover new models and ideas in inclusive and participatory practice, and to safeguard and empower our music workforce. We have designed Inspiring Artists because:
- Established musicians and music creators are not often supported financially to undertake professional development training or gain experience in other areas of music.
- Training programmes available in the music sector are often designed only for emerging professional musicians and can restrict by age.
- Musicians and music creators may be interested in exploring working in community participatory settings but may not know which type of setting or practice suits them best and what is involved in that practice.
- Community and informal education settings are extremely multifaceted and diverse, often requiring specific skillsets and approaches. This can be daunting, and understanding or accessing the experience needed for working in those settings can be unreachable for artists without support and training.
- Artists may have amazing innovative ideas which remain hidden as they haven’t had confidence or wraparound support to bring those ideas to life.
FAQs
I am a musician and did not train through formal western classical routes, is this programme open to me?
Yes! Inspiring Artists encourages musicians from all backgrounds and practices to discover working in community and informal educational settings.
I’ve just begun my music career; can I apply to Inspiring Artists?
To take part, you should be an established musician or music creator, already actively working as a musician for your career. If you have just begun your music career, there are other programmes available to emerging musician practitioners in Scotland, such as:
– the NYOS Music Leaders programme for emerging leaders aged 20-25;
– Live Music Now Scotland offer emerging musicians professional development for leading in specialist settings;
– the RSNO and RCS Professional Experience Scheme for students at the RCS.
Outside of Scotland, there is also:
– Sound Connections Trainee Programme (London);
– National Youth Choir of Great Britain Choral Leader and Composer Leader schemes (England);
– Spitalfields Creative Leadership Schemes (London);
– Britten Pears Community Musician scheme (East Anglia);
– Musicians Without Borders leadership training (UK/International).
What do you mean by ‘established musician or music creator’?
You will have been working in music as a musician or music creator for at least 2 years. You will have an established artistic practice and be able demonstrate a confidence and competence in your own area of work. We realise you may not be working as a fulltime musician or music creator.
Is this a qualification?
No, this is a professional development programme which will support your skills and reflective practice in understanding how to work as a musician in community and informal education settings.
I live in the Highlands or on an Island; how can I access Inspiring Artists?
Wherever you are based, if you are offered a place in our programme, we will support you in accessing Inspiring Artists in a way which removes barriers for you, including offering travel, accommodation, and other support where required.
I have access needs; can you support me?
Yes, if you are offered a place in our programme, we will work together to design solutions and offer individual support to meet your access needs.
Does this programme work with schools and instrumental music services?
No, we are focussed on developing practice in community participatory settings.
What do you mean by community participatory settings?
Examples include:
– Youth ensembles that are not related to a school or local authority instrumental music services
– Leisure time music groups, bands and choirs for any age groups
– DJ and music technology workshops
– Music workshops in healthcare settings or designed for people with a specific healthcare condition
– Traditional music or folk music groups
– Competitive groups such as brass bands, competitive singing groups, etc
– Non-professional classical groups that don’t identify as community groups
I am not based in Scotland, can I apply?
This course is only for Scotland-based artists. It is funded by Creative Scotland.
Fellowship FAQs
What do you mean by ‘has some experience’ in community and informal education settings?
We will offer fellowships to established artists who have already started working within community and informal education settings and want to expand their learning or practice in a particular area with their own project ideas. We are not outlining a specific number of years’ experience, as different people’s professional experience will be diverse and multifaceted.
Who can be a mentor or mentoring organisation?
We will work together with successful applicants to identify their area of interest and match them with a mentor or organisation in Scotland. Mentors will be highly experienced in their settings and will be able to host, support and advise in a way which works for both parties. All mentors will receive training in mental health first aid and safeguarding.
Application form questions
If you prefer not to fill in the application form you can send us the information in an email – this can be in written, audio or video format, whatever works best for you. Send emails and any files via WeTransfer.com to hello@lovemusic.org.uk.
- Name
- Postcode
- Phone number
- What do you want to get out of this opportunity? (maximum 1,000 characters)
- Tell us about your work as a musician and music creator? (maximum 1,000 characters)
- Please provide evidence or examples of your work. This can include links to recordings, video or websites. If you’d like to send files to support your application, please send them via WeTransfer.com to hello@lovemusic.org.uk.
- Tell us your idea for participatory work that you would like to develop with the group during the weekend. Restrict your answer to 50 words if you can. You will be able to change your idea before the course takes place.
- Tell us if there are particular skills or information you feel would benefit you to support or develop your practice.