Craven musicians at the beginning of their careers are being offered the opportunity to join a new programme to help them on the road to success.

Craven Music Match aims to support up and coming musicians with professional mentoring, workshops, collaboration and performance opportunities.

Applications are now open at www.musiclocal.co.uk/craven, to musicians, singers or producers who write their own material, are based in Craven, and are in the first two years of their career.

Applicants must also be 18 or over. The deadline for applications is 11pm on June 9, 2021.

Craven Music Match is being funded by Craven District Council and Historic England as part of Skipton’s High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) cultural programme.

Sarah Smout, a local musician and Cultural Consortium Youth Ambassador, is leading Craven Music Match. She said: “This will give new musicians the chance to become part of the growing live music scene in Craven. Successful applicants will be given the opportunity to perform at paid showcase events alongside well-established artists in Skipton Town Hall later this year.

“We’re aiming to connect musicians from across the district, to help them build a supportive, diverse and open network across all kinds of musical genres.”

Six artists will be chosen, put into pairs and given £300 each to collaborate on at least one piece of music together, and promote each other’s music on social media and other online platforms.

Other partners supporting the network and giving platforms for the work produced are Great Place: Lakes and Dales, Launchpad, and Hinterlands Festival.

Hinterlands Festival will be launching an exciting new commission, ‘Sounds of Skipton’, which will be open to participants of Craven Music Match.

Launchpad are supporting the programme with mentoring, workshops, and by linking the participants with other regional and national opportunities through their industry contacts and support programmes.

Craven District Council has been awarded a £95,360 grant from Historic England as part of the Skipton High Streets Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) to create and deliver community-led cultural activities on the high street over the next three years. Craven Music Match is just one of a number of projects taking place as part of the HSHAZ cultural programme.