Following a decade of austerity, the grassroots music sector is facing a financial crisis.

The sector is currently at breaking point and without action, the future of young people’s lives in music will be even more bleak, as Youth Music predicts:

In ten years, young people across eight UK regions will lose access to grassroots youth music projects.

This prediction is based on funding cuts over many years, the current cost-of-living crisis and the resulting impact on maintaining essential community music spaces where young people make music, make friends and develop their musical skills. 

A recent survey we undertook found:

• Two in five (41%) grassroots youth music projects at risk of closure - an increase of 17% v 2024 (24%)
• 54% of Youth Music’s funded partners have a waiting list of young people that want to take part but can’t due to lack of funds - an increase of 4% v 2024 (50%)
• Youth Music is only able to support less than one in five (18%) of the applications it receives, leaving over 260,000 young people without access to music-making, creative development and potential pathways into the music industries
• The financial position of 41% of Youth Music’s funded partners are set to get worse over the next 12 months, an increase of 8% v 2024 (34%), with over a quarter (28%) uncertain about the future

That's why we are launching our Rescue the Roots campaign to raise awareness of these issues and with the aim of securing more funds to stabilise the sector.

Youth Music will match every pound raised up to £1 million to create a total of £2 million to quickly distribute to youth organisations and emerging young creatives who are in urgent need of support. This will provide crucial support for over 18,000 young people in 2025.

All the hard work and progress throughout 25 years of Youth Music could soon become undone if we don’t act now.

Join our campaign to Rescue the Roots by donating or fundraising today.