A collaboration between a range of Northern cultural organisations and music industry heavyweights is aiming to create new opportunities for Black music creatives.
Generator, the North-East headquartered music development organisation, and Nothin But The Music (NBTM), a Liverpool-based creative and cultural consultancy, has joined forces to launch The OPEN SAUCE x Generator – Black Music Incubator Project as a means to open doors for Black artists and musical creatives into the industry.
The initiative is part of the Liverpool City Region’s Music Industry Sector Development Pilot which was created thanks to the work of the LCR Music Board’s Black Music Action Group (BMAG).
Funded through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Strategic Investment Fund, it has been designed to deliver Black musical creatives tangible industry experience. The scheme is also winning fans from a number of influential organisations and industry record labels, including UNESCO City of Music, Interval Records and Warner Music UK.
The programme was partly developed as a response to the groundbreaking and influential ReMap Report, which was released in April this year, and underlined the enormous gap in opportunities for those underrepresented in the music industry, particularly in cities like Liverpool, and across the North. The report was led by Liverpool City Region Music Board’s Yaw Owusu, Dr Matthew Flynn, senior lecturer in music industries at the University of Liverpool, vocal coach and music mentor Jennifer John and Kevin McManus, the head of UNESCO City of Music for Liverpool.
Mick Ross, CEO at Generator says he sees the success of the one-year pilot as pivotal in then replicating the model across other parts of the UK. He added: “The OPEN SAUCE x Generator – Black Music Incubator Project is designed to advance emerging talent from all sides of the industry while filling the gap of the notorious skills shortage at present. The core mission is to provide work experience with a real living wage to those underrepresented.
“Creating a national model from this is not only feasible, but also the collective goal all involved are striving for. This is just the start and will ensure Black music creators and industry professionals based in the North-East, the North-West and the North generally get better access, more opportunity and platforms and networks to ensure their skills are recognised.”
Also leading The OPEN SAUCE x Generator – Black Music Incubator Project is Yaw Owusu (pictured), founder of Nothin But The Music and a longtime advocate of creating a more inclusive music industry. Currently working on the PRS foundation’s Power Up as a senior manager, he’s a specialist in the design and delivery of musical and cultural projects, programmes and initiatives.
He said: “There’s been a lot of work done around equality and equity for Black music creators and industry professionals, but there remains a real need to do something impactful and tangible for those individuals who want to have a fair shot at launching a career in the music industry.”
Cllr Mike Wharton, Deputy Mayor of the Liverpool City Region and Cabinet Member for Business, Investment and Trade said: “Following the recommendations identified in the ReMap report earlier this year, I’m pleased to see this project proactively tackling issues including those around equality and equity for Black artists and music creators in the industry.
“I hope it will see more opportunities for Black industry professionals endeavouring to grow a career in the music industry and support the creation of a more inclusive music industry as we move forward.”