Grant News
Youth Music has launched a new £2.25 million funding programme to transform access to creative opportunities for Disabled children and young people in England. The Shift the Scene Fund offers grants of up to £200,000 to established organisations that are already working inclusively across music, the arts and other creative disciplines.
The fund, shaped by Youth Music’s Excluded by Design research and a dedicated steering group of Disabled practitioners, aims to “shift the scene” by ensuring Disabled voices lead in arts and creative spaces.
The online application form will be available from 31 October 2025, with a Stage 1 deadline of 28 November 2025. Successful applicants will be notified by 6 February 2026, with interviews held in late February and final decisions announced on 27 March 2026. Funded projects must begin between May and September 2026.
Organisations must demonstrate that Disabled people are meaningfully involved throughout — not just as participants, but also as staff, freelancers, and decision-makers. The fund prioritises those adopting the social model of disability, designing for accessibility from the outset and embedding inclusion.
While music projects may be considered, the majority of funding will support non-music creative disciplines.
Individuals, new groups, schools, and those without a proven track record of working with Disabled young people are not eligible. One-off or short-term initiatives are also excluded.
Youth Music is hosting two online Q&A sessions—one for current funded partners and one for new applicants. Details are available on the Shift the Scene Fund website (link below)
New users will need to set up an account on the Scene Fund website to access the online application when it is made available.
Useful Links: