Spotify Collaborates with Youth Music to Fund Youth Clubs Amidst “Crisis” in Young Talent Support

Support systems for emerging music talent are in a “crisis,” according to Youth Music, a charity. Matt Griffiths, CEO of Youth Music, informed BBC Newsbeat that the situation is “really urgent.” A report from the charity depicts a grim outlook, detailing hundreds of closed youth centers, declining mental health among young people, and limited access to music education. The charity has announced its partnership with streaming giant Spotify to provide funding for 15 youth clubs over the next year. This initiative aims to offer increased opportunities and support for young individuals to pursue music. Lauren Wurgraft, Spotify’s global head of social impact, stated, “We have a real opportunity not just to fund but to story tell.” Spotify has previously faced criticism from artists regarding their earnings from the platform, a concern Youth Music stated it carefully considered before agreeing to the deal. However, the partnership has been welcomed by Still Shadey, a south London rapper and MOBO award winner, who told Newsbeat that music was a “saving grace” and a spark “for something positive” during his upbringing. Still Shadey launched his own program, Mirror Mirror, to support young people in his area over the summer, with funding from Arts Council England. He expressed hope that “We have huge brands taking a step that will hopefully create a catalyst where other organisations can do the same.” Spotify did not disclose to Newsbeat the specific amount it is investing in the project with Youth Music, but Matt Griffiths confirmed it is “over six figures.” The funds will be utilized to protect youth clubs across the UK that are at risk of closure, with the objective of engaging more young people in music. This initiative follows Youth Music’s “Sound of the Next Generation” report, a survey conducted by the charity every five years. The latest report surveyed 2,100 young people about their lives and attitudes toward music. Matt Griffiths noted that music was identified as “Top of the tree as their favourite thing in their lives.” He also highlighted a “contrasting [finding] about access to music getting more limited, particularly access to making music and creating and composing your own music.” According to the report, girls and individuals from the North of England are particularly affected, with the cost of music education identified as a significant obstacle. Meanwhile, research from the YMCA indicates that since 2011, approximately half of England’s youth clubs have closed, a figure that rises to 60% in Wales. The Local Government Association further reports a 73% real-term decline in government funding for youth clubs during the same period. Still Shadey described his youth as “the last phase of youth clubs,” characterizing the centers as little more than warm spaces. He observed, “We felt this was ending, things were closing down, derelict buildings, old PlayStation games, nothing being updated.” He emphasized that such conditions are insufficient to keep young people engaged, stating, “That’s not enough to keep a young person engaged. They want to learn and grow and be a part of something.” Lauren Wurgraft agreed that access constitutes a “huge barrier,” remarking, “You can dream about being an artist but if you don’t actually have a place where you can go and create and learn, then that really is never going to become a reality.” The specific 15 youth hubs that will receive the funding have not yet been chosen, though Matt Griffiths suggested the allocation could occur as early as Christmas. Youth Music stated it would target programs and centers across the UK with which it already collaborates. Lauren Wurgraft emphasized, “It’s very important these aren’t just based in major cities because we know these spaces are important to youth all over the place.” For Still Shadey, he hopes projects like this will address what he considers the most significant issue facing young people: feeling “disconnected” from their local areas. He elaborated, “Feeling like they don’t belong.” Youth Music’s stated objective is not only to assist marginalized young people in making music but also to help them monetize it. Spotify, however, has a reputation—which it claims is unfair—for not being highly profitable for artists. The platform pays royalties to copyright holders, which often include publishers and labels in addition to artists. Last year, 1,000 British artists achieved enough streams to earn at least £100,000, but on average, they retained only 16% of their earnings from the app, even as Spotify reported record-breaking billion-dollar profits. Spotify asserts that rights holders receive approximately 70% of revenue, and UK recording artists earned £750 million in streaming royalties last year, with the streamer having no influence over how the money is split, as this is an agreement between artists and their management. Copyright holders also receive no payment if their song is streamed fewer than 1,000 times in a year. Matt Griffiths acknowledged that reconciling this with Youth Music’s ethos of helping artists monetize their work was something the charity had to “think about.” He stated, “The debate about how artists, particularly emerging artists, make a living is very, very live.” He concluded, “You make a judgement call that in the end, this is going to make a difference for young people and their lives in music at this urgent time.” Lauren Wurgraft recognized that this scheme is primarily aimed at opening an initial door for future artists rather than sustaining a career in the industry. She explained its purpose: “To basically provide opportunities for them to learn and grow and connect and be nurtured so they can actually even imagine becoming an artist and making a livelihood off it.” Spotify is not the only private company to announce schemes this year aimed at addressing gaps in youth services. McDonald’s, in collaboration with BBC Children in Need and fronted by rapper AJ Tracey, launched its “Makin’ It” project, partnering restaurants with youth workers to host workshops and drop-in sessions. Earlier this year, Stormzy established a youth club in south London in partnership with Adidas, an initiative Lauren Wurgraft cited as an inspiration for Spotify. Still Shadey commented, “It’s great these bigger companies are coming in and investing in those communities as part of their corporate social responsibility.” However, he added, “But the depth is only gonna be seen if they partner with community leaders and grassroots organisations so it’s authentic.” Stormzy’s Merky FC is a state-of-the-art facility featuring a full-size football pitch, a recording studio, and a gaming center. The rapper informed the BBC he would be a regular visitor, offering songwriting masterclasses and gaming. Spotify, conversely, will adopt a more hands-off approach, limiting its involvement in the Youth Music scheme to the pledged funding. Still Shadey believes that the power of a brand alone will attract people. His Mirror Mirror project supported 60 young people, all of whom had to apply, and provided trips to 1Xtra, Abbey Road studios, and the Houses of Parliament to offer them an insight into the music industry. He suggested, “I think youth clubs today need to create that same model where people know it’s a privilege, they know it’s an opportunity.” While this project receives some government support, Matt Griffiths indicated that the charity would prefer not to rely as heavily on private investment. He explained, “Short term funding, it’s great at the time but you’re always planning for the next days without getting that longer term certainty.” He emphasized, “Government support is vital… It’s always a combination, but you do have to see the government really shouting loudly, not just about music, but about young people.”