Beatport and Youth Music Announce Recipients of New £60,000 Grassroots Fund

Beatport and Youth Music, the UK’s leading young people’s music charity, have announced Bubble Club, Loft Music, Subtle Radio and Red Rebel FM as the recipients of their recently launched funding collaboration. Designed to support youth-focused grassroots electronic music projects across the UK, the £60,000 grant will provide £15,000 in funding to each of the four chosen organisations.

Alongside financial support, Beatport will offer dedicated coverage on their editorial platform, Beatportal, and marketing support across the platform’s social channels, helping to amplify the profile and mission of each initiative.

Grassroots electronic music culture has always been built from the ground up, where access and opportunity are not always guaranteed. For young people in particular, barriers to entry can feel insurmountable, and it’s by closing the gap that the next generation of talent find their footing. 

The selected initiatives cover a wide spectrum of the industry - spanning radio, artist development, DJ training and mentoring. Find out more about each recipient below.

Bubble Club - London 

Bubble Club will deliver an inclusive DJ training and progression programme for learning-disabled and neurodivergent young people. They will offer weekly skills sessions, one-to-one support, accessible industry training and 20+ paid performance opportunities at mainstream venues and festivals.

Loft Music - Newcastle 

Over 9 months, Loft Music will deliver a holistic learning and development programme for emerging young creatives. The project will cover all aspects of artist development, including production, mixing and mastering, building an artist profile, self-releasing, approaching labels and networking. 

Subtle Radio - London 

Subtle Futures will deliver a year-long music and radio programme with monthly workshops, industry panels, mentoring and broadcasting opportunities. Participants will develop DJing, production and presenting skills while building their confidence and their networks. At the end of the programme, they will showcase their work in a youth-led live event.

Red Rebel FM - Kent 

Red Rebel FM will deliver a six-month creative wellbeing, DJ and radio development programme for FLINTA (Female, Lesbian, Intersex, Non-binary, Trans, and Agender people) 18–25 year olds. The programme will offer DJing workshops, radio training, mentoring, menstrual-health-informed wellbeing support, and performance opportunities. 

Speaking about this new funding collaboration, Red Rebel FM founder Lisa Higgins said:

This funding is a huge moment for Red Rebel FM and the young FLINTA people we support in Thanet. In coastal communities like ours, pathways into electronic music can feel out of reach - often limited by geography, cost, lack of representation and confidence barriers. Red Rebel Futures will create a much-needed space where young people can learn DJing, access mentorship and build confidence in a way that feels genuinely inclusive and sustainable.

Follow along throughout the year to learn more about each recipient's initiatives and the communities they support.