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Youth Music Launches £1M Grassroots Rescue Fund
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By Ryan Moss
- 13 Mar 2025
- 4 min read
Header Image: Blake Carpenter / Unsplash.com
Youth Music has launched a major £1 million fundraising campaign, Rescue The Roots, in response to a growing crisis in the grassroots music sector.
New findings from the charity reveal that two in five youth music projects are now at risk of closure – an alarming 17% increase since 2024. Without urgent intervention, Youth Music warns that young people in eight UK regions could lose access to grassroots music projects within a decade.
To tackle this crisis, the Rescue The Roots campaign will match every pound raised, up to £1 million to create a £2 million support fund for struggling youth music projects. Youth Music estimates this will provide vital resources to over 18,000 young people.
The campaign launch featured a documentary starring Rizzle Kicks’ Jordan Stephens, who marked his support with a new tattoo. Stephens, who was awarded Youth Music’s first-ever Grassroots Hero Award in 2024, warned of the devastating impact of closures:
“The UK music scene is in big trouble. If we don’t act now, there will be no new artists, no fresh sounds, no future for UK music.”
Youth Music CEO Matt Griffiths echoed these concerns, describing the situation as reaching “breaking point.”
“The threat of closure for grassroots music projects has never been more imminent. We urge everyone to help safeguard the future of UK music, making it more diverse, accessible, and equitable for young people.”
Currently, Youth Music can only fund 18% of applications, leaving around 260,000 young people without access to music spaces. Even among those receiving funding, over a quarter still face an uncertain future.
This campaign follows Youth Music’s recent partnership with Spotify, which created a dedicated fund supporting 15 grassroots venues. Additionally, the charity’s NextGen Fund, launched in January, continues to help young musicians and creatives at the start of their careers.
With urgent action needed, donations to Rescue The Roots could play a critical role in saving the next generation of UK artists.
Find out more and donate at https://www.youthmusic.org.uk/rescue-the-roots and watch the documentary below.
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