Girls Against are proud to have the support of Future Yard, a new music venue located in Birkenhead, Merseyside that “reimagines the role of a live music venue, providing live industry training and a regional hub for artist development.”
(The Future Yard management team. From left to right: Craig Pennington, Cath Hurley, Matthew Hogarth and Christopher Torpey.)
The Future Yard team have just announced a permanent programme – PROPELLER – to support new music talent. This innovative programme provides access to quality studio space, personalised mentorship support, expert knowledge from leading industry minds and a vibrant peer-to-peer community, helping artists to “realise the best possible version of themselves” in a safe and inclusive space.
The following information is taken from Future Yard’s official press release:
Through this new artist membership scheme, Future Yard will work with early-career and established artists with huge potential, to help them develop their work, build their audience and establish robust career foundations. Members are provided with regular access to rehearsal studios situated at Future Yard, along with a dedicated industry mentor to work through a personalised development plan.
The PROPELLER membership also grants access to an in-depth and forward thinking programme of workshops and masterclasses provided by the Future Yard team along with industry leaders and inspirational music practitioners, including representatives from Bandcamp, Redlight Management, Partisan Records, The Musicians’ Union and so much more.
Future Yard are accepting applications from bands and artists who want to learn, focus and improve their skills. This membership provides specific support that will enable artists to have a long-term career in an evolving music industry. Each PROPELLER member will have a tailored development plan which will help enable them to grow and push the boundaries of their profession, taking control of their music career by basing themselves at Future Yard.
PROPELLER has been built to help artists realise and forge their own individual route through the music industry, with an appreciation that there is no longer an established ‘one size fits all’ approach to maximising vital revenue streams. This framework will be rooted in an ambition for them to become professionally viable, underpinned with an established audience.
This offer and peer network can form part of an artist’s ongoing journey, long into a career. If artists can be empowered and supported in this phase to take ownership of their career and build knowledge, they can shape the team they need – at the point they need it – for a long term career in the modern music industry. PROPELLER supports them in achieving that, giving them the knowledge and confidence to make good choices that fit their needs.
Each PROPELLER member will have a tailored, individual development plan, set around a series of achievable goals. Their progress through this is fully supported by the wider PROPELLER team, which includes a team of mentors that are forging their own professional path through the industry. These mentors include self-managed artists and musicians, artist managers and label managers from across the UK, many with roots in Wirral and Liverpool. Mentors include Piran Aston, manager of The Lounge Society and Loose Articles; Constance Keane, founder of Tulle Records, artist Fears, and manager of Laura Groves; and Sophie Galpin, freelance musician working with acts such as Self Esteem, SOAK and Zuzu.
The PROPELLER membership programme is run by the Future Yard management team, alongside the mentors and team of supporting professionals, amassing years of relevant music industry experience. Project lead and mentor Cath Hurley said:
“Having worked with exciting and emerging talent for the past 15 years, it’s easy to spot where the disconnects lie in the pathway for regional talent who deserve to progress on to a world stage. Local scenes can often feel fragmented and disconnected within themselves, even before artists start working nationally and breaking out to international markets. Future Yard is creating a community where information and experience is shared freely and opportunities can be sought out and maximised in order to grow audiences and revenues.
Enabling talented musicians to build a viable career is at the heart of what we aim to do, whilst creating a safe and inclusive space for musicians to truly be themselves. We want artists to feel empowered, in control and supported in a community that celebrates their individuality and personality. The wider PROPELLER team is packed full of professionals that inspire us and have achieved great results with special artists. I can’t wait to introduce them to our growing community of local talent. Music in our region is so special and I can’t wait to hear so much of it thudding out of our rehearsal rooms and on to our stage.”
Applications for PROPELLER are now open until 2nd August 2021, with membership starting from September 2021.
Please visit https://propeller.futureyard.org/ for more details.
Written by Ciara Johnson