The music industry is undoubtedly full of talent, but if there is one subset of people who don’t always get enough credit for their craft, it’s songwriters. It’s known that creatives in general can never just pursue their passion, make enough money to sustain themselves and work on becoming more successful in their field. Instead, they’re forced to subsidise their passion by working part-time at a café or retail—there is no sustainable route to pursue your passion in the arts.
However, The Ivors Academy has recently shifted its focus to providing more opportunities for new and underrepresented songwriters to give them the help they need to begin and establish careers in the industry.
If you want to hear more about The Ivors Academy and everything they can do for you as an artist, click here to watch us go in-depth with Tareic Alphonse, membership manager at The Ivors Academy.
Read on to find out how the academy is breaking down barriers and providing a more sustainable route for music creators while advocating for meaningful changes within the industry.
What is The Ivors Academy?
The Ivors Academy is a professional association representing composers, songwriters and music creators in the UK, who have been transforming the world of music creatives in the last five years. The academy has become crucial in advocating for the rights and interests of music creators, offering incredible support, resources and opportunities to its members.
The Ivors Academy serves as an advocate for the rights of music creators. Some of their key focuses include representation and opportunities for minority communities in the industry, dedicated programmes, awards and recognition, diversity and inclusivity and much more. They’re real serious when it comes to early career support.
Providing support for creatives on their musical journey
Five years ago, the Ivors Academy set out on a mission to empower songwriters and composers, recognising the need for a more sustainable path for those who wanted to fully dedicate themselves to their craft.
One of the many great things about the academy is that the people right at the top are music artists themselves. The last thing you want is (probably) men in stuffy suits who don’t have a clue about what the industry is really like telling you what to do and how to manage your career, right? Instead, the academy is run by people who understand the challenges faced by music creators who aspire to make a living without subsidising their passion through unrelated work.
The Ivors Academy Trust, established in the early 2000s, serves as the backbone for emerging professionals in the music industry. The Trust provides financial support for all sorts of things like writing camps, travel, childcare and even full membership costs.
The academy recognises what musicians and music artists really need to pursue their creative passions and work towards doing everything they can to ensure they really make it.
How the academy is committed to inclusivity
The Academy runs a series of programmes designed to provide opportunities to individuals from marginalised communities. The Advocacy Development Programme for instance is a paid opportunity to research new and innovative ideas to make moves in the industry, and it also gives creatives a chance to be put in front of the people who can really make a difference in the industry.
There are also plenty of mentoring opportunities, perhaps even by some of the academy’s very famous members like Stormzy, Elton John, Annie Lennox, Chris Martin, Alex Turner and many more.
With names like these, creatives are sure to start making some real progress in their careers and get continued guidance from those who understand the intricacies of the craft.
Lending a helping hand to new songwriters
There has been a recent shift in the academy’s focus within the last few years to being more committed to inclusivity and representation. Moving away from spotlighting already successful songwriters, the Ivors Academy now actively supports early career members through the Early Career Council and membership initiatives, another testament to giving underrepresented and new songwriters and creatives the support they need to create a name for themselves.
The academy also recognises the toll that creative pursuits can take on mental health, which is why it created a dedicated group to provide opportunities, support, and a space for open discussions among its members.
Through their multifaceted programmes, mentorships and commitment to inclusivity, The Ivors Academy is actively shaping a future where every aspiring music creator has the chance to succeed, regardless of their background.
If you want to learn more about organisations like these or ways to make steps in your own music career, our weekly Music Industry Mondays event is just for you! Grab your free tickets here to chat with industry experts and creatives just like you.