the hub was asked by Northamptonshire creative development agency, Creative Connexions, to develop and deliver a professional development programme aimed at producers, label bosses, promoters and managers, based in Northamptonshire.
The programme had two strands: one a training programme, aimed at emerging industry talent, and the other a bursary programme, aimed at more experienced industry professionals.
Twenty aspiring music artists, producers, label bosses, promoters and managers took part in the training programme, which equipped them with key skills in fundraising and sponsorship, marketing, digital technology and financial management and increased their awareness of industry practice, networks and opportunities. The programme ran over four one-day sessions, each led by a member of the hub team, with guest input from other industry, broadcast and legal ‘insiders’. The sessions bore all the hallmarks of hub training – they were packed with useful information, designed around the needs and preferred learning styles of of the participants, contained lots of practical examples and exercises, and opportunities to ask questions. Each session was supplemented by a resource pack that helped participants to put what they’d learned into practice.
The bursary programme offered six experienced music industry professionals in the country the opportunity to take part in an eight month bursary programme, which had two components: a £1500 bursary, intended to cover training, go and see, networking, research, study and work experience, an five two-hour surgeries with an industry mentor, designed to address specific business or professional development issues contained in participants’ individual development plans.