Grant News

Youth Music has launched a £2.25 million initiative to tackle barriers facing disabled children and young people in the arts. The announcement follows the charity’s Excluded by Design? report, which exposed stark inequalities in creative education and employment.

The new Shift the Scene Fund will support long-term, community-based creative programmes—across music and other art forms—designed by and with disabled young people aged 9 to 30. Funding may include paid employment, bursaries, or micro-grants.

The fund is open to established organisations in England already working inclusively with d/Deaf, Disabled, or Neurodivergent young people. 

Eligible projects must be:

• Long-term: running three to four years, not short-term or one-off.
• Community-based: rooted in and responsive to local needs.
• Multi-disciplinary: spanning music, theatre, dance, visual arts, film, digital, or cross-arts approaches.
• Co-created: shaped and led with Disabled young people at every stage.
• Progression-focused: offering sustained opportunities, such as 1:1 support, mentoring, and career pathways.
• Inclusive: embedding the social model of disability, anti-ableist practice, and accessible design.

Applicants must show a proven track record in anti-ableist practice, amplify young Disabled voices, and embed inclusion, diversity, equity, and access across their work.

Guidance will be published on 1 October 2025, with applications open from 31 October to 28 November 2025. Successful applicants will be announced on 27 March 2026.